Facilities

Two researchers working in blue light on a glass disc.

UNH's Space Science Center (SSC) has a legacy of more than 100 partnerships on NASA missions and 60+ years of pioneering involvement in space research, including the development, build, and test of cutting-edge space instrumentation.

To support these endeavors, the SSC has developed state-of-the-art facilities that provide a comprehensive environment for assembly, integration, and space qualification testing. This robust infrastructure underpins our commitment to advancing space science and technology, ensuring that our collaborators and missions achieve the highest standards of performance and reliability.

Commercial entities can now access and book services at these facilities through the UNH Space Technology Hub. 

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  • Photo of large metal instrument in the lab.
    Photo of many working on large silver cylinder.
    Brand name: Dynavac custom built in 2010 (built for MMS mission)
  • Chamber size: 4' diameter and 5' deep (cylinder)
    Interior space: 46" diameter x 60" deep
  • Chamber pressure: 10-7 Torr
  • Temperature range: -30o to +80o C
  • Platen with thermal fluid transfer system (FTS)
  • Number of thermocouples for monitoring: 30 chamber thermocouples; 16 thermocouples for instrument
  • Ramp rate range: typical rate 3oC/minute, but 1oC/minute is possible or even lower (just takes much longer for transitioning)
  • Venting gas: liquid Nitrogen shroud
  • Scavenger plate on door used for freezing contaminants onto surface
    RGA scanner – 300 amu
    TQCM (2000) – QCM Research

Photo of researcher in a white suit removing a disk from a glass cabinet.
Photo of researcher in a white suit applying a film to a circular object.
  • Clean room specs: ISO 7, class 10000 clean room
  • Benches:
    • - ISO 5 laminar flow assembly bench
    • - 5 assembly benches 6' x 2.5'
  • Storage: Clean room storage: X4 N2 and X6 N2 storage containers - Dry, clean storage containers for component storage

Photo of three researchers looking at a device inside a blue spikey chamber.
Photo of 3 researchers in lab coats inside blue spike chamber.

The UNH EMI/Anechoic Chamber is capable of MIL-SPEC-461 EMI/EMC and antenna radiation measurements. 

Dimensions

  • External: Within 17'L x 15'W x 12'H footprint
  • Internal: At least 16'L x 14'W x 10'H
  • Usable Space: At least 12'L x 10'W x 8'H
  • Maximum UUT: 1m x 1m x 1m

General Chamber Performance

  • Operating frequency range: 80 MHz – 40 GHz
  • Shielding effectiveness: 100 dB to 1 GHz (verified by measurement)

MIL-SPEC Performance

  • <-6dB reflectivity from 80 MHz – 250 MHz
  • <-10dB reflectivity above 250 MHz
    (These specs are greatly exceeded with the anechoic cones)
  • Test capabilities include: CE01, CE03, CMN, CS01, CS02, RE01, and RE02

Antenna Radiation Performance

  • <100 dB isolation
  • <2 dB ripple in quiet zone
  • 3-D radiation patterns
  • 0.5 to 6 GHz
  • 10 lbs. DUT capacity

Miscellaneous

  • 6' wide door
  • Removable copper-topped MIL-SPEC bench
  • APM turntable accommodation
  • Waveguide ventilation
  • Bulkhead connector panels
  • 2x30A service with 60Hz filters & adequate lighting

  • (10 mKelvin)
    Color photo of man working on dilution fridge in lab.

  • Photo of thermal cycling chamber with door open.
    Brand Name: Tenney Environmental Testing Chamber T10C-1.5, Serial number: 0903000051
  • No vacuum
  • Size: 2.5' x 2.5' x 2.5'
  • Temperature range: -73o C to 200o C
  • Venting: dry nitrogen
  • No thermocouples inside, would have to put them on the instrument

  • Color photo of bakeout chamber in lab.
    Brand Name: Shel Lab vacuum bake-out oven: Model 1445.2, S/N 03041610
  • Size: 1' x 1' x 1'
  • Calibrated to: 60o C (rated up to 200o C)
  • Chamber pressure range: 20 mTorr (rough vacuum)

Color photo of man working on Ion Accelerator instrument.

The UNH Space Plasma Laboratory (M145) houses an Ion Accelerator for calibrating space plasma instrumentation. This calibration system is comprised of a high vacuum testing chamber and a duoplasmatron ion source with an electrostatic accelerator beam line (Peabody scientific Model PS-100).

Beam Characteristics

  • Energy range: 1-24 keV
  • Species:  H, D, He, C, N, O, Ar
  • Beam size: up to ~75mm diameter
  • Flux:
    • Arc Discharge Mode:  1e-14 to 1e-7 A/cm
    • Electron bombardment mode:  1 to 1e4 Ct/sec/cm

Instrument Test Chamber Contains

  • RGA chamber cleanliness monitor
  • Beam Diagnostic imaging MCP
  • Three motion stages for adjusting test position
    • One Newton MTN300PPV6 linear stage with 100mm of travel
    • Two Newport Rv120PE rotational stages
  • Optional Mu metal shroud for magnetic field background suppression

Color photo of man looking through microscope in Assembly Lab.

The Space Science Center Electronics Assembly Lab satisfies NASA Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and temperature and humidity standards for manufacturing flight electronic circuit boards.

Color photo of man working on a device in the Machine Shop.

The Space Science Center Machine Shop for Flight Mechanical Assemblies contains:

  • 3-Axis Proto Trak milling machines  (2)
  • 2-Axis Proto Trak milling machine  (1)
  • Proto Trak CNC lathe (1)
  • Manual lathes (3)
  • Calibrated inspection equipment