METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF SPACECRAFT Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: space engineering; manufacture of telecommunication satellites with cooling liquid loops for their instruments.

SUBSTANCE: after heat and vacuum tests of spacecraft, heat-transfer agent is drained from liquid loop and vacuum drying is performed. Then, joints of liquid loop are checked for tightness and total untightness of liquid loop is determined in vacuum chamber by means of probe gas. Valves are checked for tight seating after closing by rise of pressure of heat-transfer agent vapor in valve cavities; leakage of deaerated heat-transfer agent will be indicative of untightness. Then, degree of tightness of these cavities is determined by blowing them with dehydrated gas followed by evacuation and measurement of initial pressure and final pressure (in 15 min). Then these cavities are filled with Chladon-113 and blanks are fitted. Hydraulic system of liquid loop is connected and flexible covers are placed on flexible pipe lines of liquid loop. Joints of valve blanks, hydraulic connections and flexible pipe lines are checked for tightness by leakage of Chladon-113 and heat-transfer agent. Then, pipe lines and spaces in areas of blanks and casings are blown with dehydrated gas through technological openings. In 60 min tightness is checked by means of plasma leak detector through said openings.

EFFECT: enhanced reliability for 10-15 years of operation.

8 dwg