European Thermo-Elastic Testing Facilities

The table below provides an overview of testing facilities that that can do tests to support the verification of strength and performance of systems under temperature loading.

Clicking on the name of the facility will provide more detailed information.

Facility	Location	Sample size	Measurement methods	Temperature range [K]
CSL FOCAL2	CSL, Angleur-Liège-Belgium	H 1.4m x W 1.3m x L 4.7m (Allowed OPTICAL SET-UP VOLUME)	Theodolite	4-354
			Autocollimator
			Fizeau interferometry
CSL FOCAL3	CSL, Angleur-Liège-Belgium	H 2.5 m x W 2m x L 2m (Allowed OPTICAL SET-UP VOLUME)	Theodolite	4-354
			Autocollimator
			Fizeau interferometry
CSL FOCAL5	CSL, Angleur-Liège-Belgium	H 2.8m x W 3m x L 6.8m (Allowed OPTICAL SET-UP VOLUME)	Theodolite	4-354
			Autocollimator
			Fizeau interferometry
CSL FOCAL6.5	CSL, Angleur-Liège-Belgium	H 3.7m x W 4m x L 4m (Allowed OPTICAL SET-UP VOLUME)	Theodolite	4-354
			Autocollimator
ESA/ESTEC Large Space Simulator (LSS)	ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands	Maximum usable volume 9.5m Diameter x 10m height Sun simulation Diameter 6m for up to 1.75SC	Thermography	100–350
			Photogrammetry
			Laser Radar
ESA/ESTEC VTC1.5	ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands	Maximum usable volume 1.7m diameter x 3.0 length Sun simulation Diameter 0.5m (0.4SC – 3SC and 7SC – 13 SC)	Thermography	100–350
			Photogrammetry
			Laser Radar
ESA/ESTEC Mechanical Systems Laboratory	ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands	diameter 850 mm, 1.7 m long	Customized photogrammetry	100–523
			Laser tracker
			Custom measurement setup
IABG 3m-TVA	IABG, Ottobrunn, Germany	diameter up to 2.9 m	Videogrammetry	90-433
			Theodolite
			Autocollimator and Interferometry
IABG WSA/TVA	IABG, Ottobrunn, Germany	diameter up to 2.9 m	Videogrammetry	90-385
			Theodolite
			Autocollimator and Interferometry
INTA facilities	INTA, Madrid, Spain


KRP mechanical facilities, Charpy Pendulum	KRP, Garching near Munich		Charpy impact test	77 – 1273
KRP mechanical facilities, universal testing machine	KRP, Garching near Munich		application of loads in vacuum environment, customized setups for correlation with analyses and verification, tests according to standards	4 – 1273
KRP thermal facilities, CC1	KRP, Garching near Munich	H 750 mm x W 580 mm x L 450 mm	Environment testing humidity and temperature cycling	-180°C – +200°C
KRP thermal facilities, TC1	KRP, Garching near Munich	H 700 mm x W 500 mm x L 500 mm	Temperature cycling High number of thermal cycles	-150°C – +150°C
KRP thermal facilities, LHe-Lift	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø 150 mm x length < 450 mm	Temperature cycling inducing a cryogenic shock	4 – 323
KRP thermal facilities, Thermal-Lift	KRP, Garching near Munich	H 550 mm x W 400 mm x L 400 mm	Temperature cycling High number of thermal shocks	-120°C – +150°C
KRP facilities CTE of Anisotropic Structures	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø 160 mm x length < 550 mm	Capacitive sensor	10 – 473
KRP facilities, Dilatometer	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø 5…22 mm x height 25 mm	Capacitive sensor	20-363
		2.7 ± 0.3 mm x height 40…100 mm x width ~ 40 mm
KRP facilities, Thermal Conductivity	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø 30 mm x length 300 mm	Controlling heater power to achieve temperature difference	10 – 300
KRP TVAC facilities, TVC1	KRP, Garching near Munich	H 315 mm x W 720 mm x L 580 mm	Custom test setups, TVAC testing, CTE tests, TED testing	-180°C – +300°C
		H 260 mm x W 645 mm x L 480 mm		-258°C – +160°C
		Ø 170 mm x L 450 mm		-180°C – +500°C
		Ø 170 mm x L 90 mm		-180°C – +600°C
KRP TVAC facilities, TVC2	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø180 mm x length 1400 mm	Custom test setups, TVAC testing	-180°C – +200°C
KRP TVAC facilities, TVC3	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø250 mm x length 400 mm	Custom Test Setups
KRP TVAC facilities, TVC4	KRP, Garching near Munich	Ø600 mm x length 1940 mm	Custom test setups, TVAC testing, CTE tests, TED testing	-180°C – +300°C
		Ø520 mm x length 1690 mm		-253°C – +140°C
KRP TVAC facilities, TVC5	KRP, Garching near Munich	H 640 mm x W 640 mm x L 540 mm	Custom test setups, TVAC testing, CTE tests, TED testing	-180°C – +200°C
TAS Toulouse 45 m3 Climate Chamber	Thales Alenia Space, 26 Av JF Champollion, 31037 TOULOUSE, France	diameter 3500 mm, 1500 mm long	Videogrammetry.	153-383
			User provided measurement setup

ZARM Environmental Testcenter	ZARM Technik AG, Bremen, Germany	800x1450x800 mm		77K … 500K