Thermal vacuum testing for a mission to asteroid Bennu
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission was developed to travel to the asteroid Bennu, collect a sample, and return it to Earth for scientific analysis. One of the mission’s key instruments was the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES), developed by Arizona State University to measure the mineral composition and temperature distribution of the asteroid’s surface.
Before launch, the instrument needed to undergo rigorous environmental testing to verify its performance under the extreme conditions it would experience during the mission. NASA’s testing requirements demanded a thermal vacuum environment capable of accurately simulating both the vacuum of space and the severe temperatures encountered during flight.
Key project requirements included:
LACO designed and built a Frontier thermal vacuum chamber for Arizona State University specifically to support testing of the OTES instrument. The system featured a 60″ diameter by 96″ deep chamber with a vibration-isolated platen and drilled mounting locations for secure instrument installation. Internal thermal shrouds cooled with liquid nitrogen allowed the system to recreate the cold temperatures experienced in space.
A cryogenic vacuum pump provided the high-vacuum environment required for testing, while the integrated control system supported both automatic and manual operation. Together, these capabilities enabled ASU to subject OTES to mission-like conditions prior to launch, helping validate instrument performance before deployment aboard the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
The completed system delivered:
