METHOD FOR CONDUCTING THERMAL VACUUM TESTS DURING GROUND TESTING OF SPACECRAFT FOR OPERABILITY Russian patent published in 2022 - IPC B64G7/00 

FIELD: testing technology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of testing technology, in particular to the ground-based verification of spacecraft (SC) for operability. The method for conducting thermal vacuum tests during ground testing of the spacecraft for operability includes placing the spacecraft in a vacuum chamber, vacuuming the chamber, creating an operating temperature on the surface of the spacecraft, turning on the spacecraft equipment and evaluating the spacecraft’s operability. Before switching on the spacecraft equipment with high requirements for residual pressure in the vacuum chamber, the pressure is additionally measured in the immediate vicinity of the specified equipment. When the permissible pressure value is reached in the immediate vicinity of the specified equipment, it is switched on and the spacecraft performance is evaluated with constant pressure monitoring in the immediate vicinity of the specified equipment. When the specified pressure rises above the permissible value, the equipment is turned off, the chamber is evacuated until the permissible pressure value is reached, the equipment is turned on and the performance of the spacecraft equipment is resumed.

EFFECT: accuracy and reliability of the spacecraft test results is achieved.

1 cl