Supply, Installation and Commissioning of a Thermal Vacuum Cycling Chamber

The University of Leicester has awarded a contract to Weiss Tecknik UK Ltd for the supply, installation, and commissioning of a Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) System for the School of Physics and Astronomy at Space Park Leicester. Valued at 248,000 pounds including VAT, the project is scheduled to run from November 13, 2026, to July 1, 2027. The system will be installed in an ISO 14644 Class 6 cleanroom to support environmental testing, qualification, and thermal vacuum cycling for equipment developed by the Space Projects and Instrumentation group and through third-party commercial agreements. The TVAC system must meet rigorous technical specifications, including high-vacuum capability of 1x10-5 hPa or less and a wide temperature cycling range from -190 degrees Celsius to +150 degrees Celsius. Precise thermal control of plus or minus 0.1 degrees Celsius per minute will be maintained using heating platens, shrouds, and liquid nitrogen. Additionally, the system will feature contaminant control via dry pumps, structural reliability to withstand atmospheric pressure, and dedicated feedthroughs for power and data to the equipment under test.