Lunar Environment Simulation for a High Performance Motor

NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) through a CSA contractor, Argo Space/Robotics Division, partnered to perform environmental performance tests on a high torque producing motor. CSA provided the motor and NASA provided a thermal vacuum chamber capable of achieving high vacuum (P < 1 E-5 torr) and temperatures between 25 and 400 K. NASA also provided a dynamometer system capable of measuring and or applying break torque between 0 and 28 Nm. The two primary goals of the test were to simulate sun exposed and shadow condition expected on the lunar surface in order to determine survivability of the motor at extreme temperature conditions and to operate the motor under a constant break load of 6.8 Nm in the temperature range of 30K to 415K. A secondary objective of the test was to operate the motor for 15 km under 6.8 Nm of load. The primary goals of the test were fully achieved. The secondary goal was partially achieved.