Abstract:
The combined thermal vacuum test of man-extravehicular space suits-spacecraft is necessary to guarantee the safety of astronaut and the success of flight operation. During the tests, the astronauts may get themselves familiarizing with the space environment; their psychological endurance may be increased; and the defects of design, manufacture and operation procedure of the manned spacecraft may be discovered. A successful test must be based on perfect and complete ground test facilities, correct test technologies, a well considered test plan, reasonable technology specifications and simulation procedures. In this paper, the principal objectives and the major components of the combined thermal vacuum test of men-extravehicular space suits-spacecraft conducted in KM6 are presented. Three schemes of test are described. The potential problems of safety are analyzed and the relevant countermeasures and security systems are put forward. The main technical specifications of the facility are given and ten key subsystems, namely, vacuum chamber, liquid nitrogen, gas nitrogen, re-pressurization, environment control, thermal flux simulation, telecommunication control and fire fighting, are discussed.