ISRO Human Space Flight Program Update: Cabin Environment Simulation System

ISRO recently commissioned a new facility called Cabin Environment Simulation System (CESS) under the Human Space Flight Program. CESS will be used for test and evaluation of space modules under regulated environmental conditions that may arise during various phases of manned mission.

CESS consists of a horizontally mounted cylindrical chamber of 2100mm diameter and 1200mm cylindrical length with two torispherical dome enclosures–with opening at one end. It has been designed for maintaining an internal vacuum level of 10-2 m.bar and insulated such that the outside surface temperature remains within 40 deg C when the internal maximum temperature is at 100 deg C. This large main chamber has been provided with a pumping system to maintain any pressure level between 1.3 mbar to 1200 mbar inside the chamber. 

Figure 1: ISRO CESS. credits: ISRO & HHV

An ancillary chamber of size 300mm diameter and 300mm (L) is placed inside the CESS on a trolley. It has been designed for an operating pressure of maximum 3 bar, operating temperature of 10 to 80 deg C and a volume of 20 litres.

Figure 2: CESS internal showing ancillary chamber. Credit: ISRO & HHV

In-built sensors allow measurement of behaviour of tests modules for wide ranges of pressure, temperature and humidity.