1/3/2024 Debra Levey Larson
Written by Debra Levey Larson
Students and researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will soon be able to fabricate and test advanced structures within a facility that simulates the harsh environmental conditions of space. It is funded by the University of Illinois and the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program.
The facility will include a large, comprehensive space environmental simulation chamber, a space-compatible mechanical testing apparatus, and a composite 3D printer designed for operation in exposed space conditions.
The facility will simulate not just the extreme thermal-vacuum conditions of outer space, but also other important environmental stressors like solar radiation and atomic oxygen. The mechanical testing equipment will take measurements during the exposure of materials and structures to these harsh conditions. The unique 3D printer will bring new research opportunities in the additive manufacturing of composite structures under external conditions, as opposed to the shielded environments in space stations.
According to Xin Ning, a new assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, although thermal-vacuum chambers are not uncommon in universities, a facility with such an extensive range of capabilities is rare.
“This will make it one of the few facilities, if not the only one, at U.S. universities dedicated to both research and research-related education on space structures and materials, as well as the in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing of space structures,” said Ning.
Ning explained the long-range goal is to be able to manufacture large parts and repair spacecraft in flight, rather than having to launch another rocket with what’s needed.
“This area of research is in its infancy, but there is a rapidly growing interest in enabling space assets to overcome the limitations of rockets and making spacecraft on-site with in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing,” Ning said.
“Education and workforce development are crucial,” Ning emphasized. Although space environmental testing chambers exist in large aerospace companies and government agencies like NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory, they’re typically inaccessible to students. “We need to address this issue, and we want Illinois students to graduate with relevant knowledge rather than gaining it after entering the workforce,” Ning said.
Ning joined Illinois in August 2023 and holds a joint appointment in the Materials Research Laboratory.