Space Environment Simulation Laboratory, Research laboratory at Johnson Space Center, Houston, US
The Space Environment Simulation Laboratory is a research facility at Johnson Space Center that uses chambers to recreate conditions found in space. The equipment can simulate extreme vacuum, temperature swings, and radiation to test spacecraft systems before they fly in space.
The facility was founded in the 1960s and has since performed critical testing for space missions. It played a key role in validating Apollo equipment and later components for the International Space Station.
Scientists and engineers from many countries work side by side at this testing center to solve space exploration problems. This international collaboration has shaped how the facility operates and what it accomplishes.
The facility operates year-round using specialized chambers to test materials, components, and entire systems. Visitors should know this is an active research site, so tours are limited and require advance booking.
The chambers can reach temperatures from minus 250 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, simulating the harshest conditions spacecraft face. This capability makes them one of the few places on Earth where such extreme temperature swings can be created and controlled.
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