Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

| name = Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator

| nrhp_type = nhl

| image = Mariner 10 in JPLs 25-foot space simulator.gif

| caption = Mariner 10 in the Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator

| location = [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]], [[Pasadena, California]]

| coordinates = {{coord|34|12|9.8|N|118|10|22.4|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = USA Los Angeles Metropolitan Area#California#USA

| area = less than one acre

| built = {{start date|1961}}

| architect = [[NASA]]

| designated_nrhp_type = October 3, 1985<ref name=nhl_summary>{{Cite web | title = Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator | work = National Historic Landmarks Quioklinks | publisher = [[National Park Service]] | url = http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=2073&ResourceType=Structure | access-date = 18 March 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101213025605/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=2073&ResourceType=Structure | archive-date = 13 December 2010 }}</ref>

| added = October 3, 1985<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>

| refnum = 85002812

The '''Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator''' is a chamber for testing spacecraft in space-like conditions, including extreme cold, high radiation, and near-vacuum pressure. Built in 1961, it is located at the [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] in [[Pasadena, California]]. It has been used to prepare many American space probes for their launches, including the [[Ranger program|Ranger]], [[Surveyor Program|Surveyor]], [[Mariner program|Mariner]], and [[Voyager program|Voyager]] spacecraft.

The first facility of its type, the chamber served as an example for other countries seeking to establish space programs.<ref name="nrhpinv2">{{Cite web|author=Harry A. Butowsky|date=May 15, 1984|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Twenty-Five Foot Space Simulator|url={{NHLS url|id=85002812}}|format=pdf|publisher=National Park Service}} and {{NHLS url|id=85002812|title=''Accompanying 2 photos, exterior and interior, from 1983''|photos=y}}&nbsp;{{small|(32&nbsp;KB)}}</ref> It was declared a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1985 and is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nhl_summary" /><ref name="nris" />

==Description==

The Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator is a stainless-steel cylinder {{convert|85|ft|m}} in height and {{convert|27|ft|m}} in diameter. A doorway {{convert|15|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|25|ft|m}} high provides access for bringing test objects and equipment into the chamber; a personnel access door is built into the larger doorway. Its walls and floor are lined with cooling shrouds that help provide a controllable temperature range from {{convert|-320|F|C}} to {{convert|200|F|C}}. A series of lamps, lenses, and mirrors can irradiate the chamber with a directed beam of simulated solar energy in a variety of patterns and strengths. The chamber can be depressurized to 5×10⁻⁷ [[torr]]. Test objects can be mounted with a number of attachment points and methods. The chamber is mounted on a seismically isolated foundation.<ref name="nrhpinv2" /> The chamber requires about 75 minutes to achieve a space-like environment, and about 2{{frac|1|2}} hours to return to a normal environment.

Next to the chamber is a [[clean room]] in which equipment can be prepared for testing.<ref name="nrhpinv2" />

==See also==

*[[List of National Historic Landmarks in California]]

*[[Space Environment Simulation Laboratory]], built in 1965 at the [[Johnson Space Center]] in Texas

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|JPL Space Simulator}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:1961 establishments in California]]