Environmental Test Chambers Helped ShenZhou Spacecraft 16 Successfully Lift Off

China's manned space program has reached a new milestone as Shenzhou 16 spacecraft off to the country's space station at 9:30 am on May 30, 2023. The Shenzhou 16 spacecraft successfully lifted off in hot weather and entered its scheduled orbit. It is reported that the high and low temperature environmental test chambers played a key role in the mission, providing a stable guarantee for the launch of the spacecraft.

High and low temperature environmental test Chamber is a kind of equipment used to simulate extreme environment, can simulate a variety of harsh environmental conditions in the laboratory, including high temperature, low temperature, high pressure, low pressure, etc. Therefore, the durability and reliability of space launch vehicle components under extreme environment can be tested to ensure their performance and safety in actual use.

The components of space launch vehicle need to operate normally in extreme high temperature and low temperature environment. For example, the engine, fuel pipeline and electronic equipment all need to withstand the influence of thermal expansion and cold contraction, expansion difference and other factors caused by alternating high temperature and low temperature. Therefore, high and low temperature resistance test is needed to verify its reliability and safety. At extremely high temperatures, materials will crack or deform due to thermal expansion, while at extremely low temperatures, materials will become brittle and lose toughness, resulting in equipment failure. The high and low temperature test can evaluate the performance and reliability of components under various extreme temperature conditions, and provide scientific data support for the design and manufacture of space launch vehicles to ensure their reliable operation under extreme environment.