NASA’s TSIS-2 Mission Aces Vacuum, Vibration Testing

NASA’s upcoming sunlight-measuring mission, TSIS-2 (Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2), recently completed its rigorous testing phase with outstanding results. Located in a clean room, the spacecraft underwent below-freezing temperatures and vacuum-level pressurizations, simulating the challenges it will face in Earth's orbit.

Dan Scheuer, director of engineering for GA-EMS, highlighted that the spacecraft's integration and testing utilized their full suite of capabilities. Critical tests included thermal vacuum and vibration testing, which are crucial for ensuring the satellite's instruments can endure the harsh conditions of space. Despite the demanding tests, the TSIS-2 passed with flying colors.

Following its successful completion of these trials, the spacecraft will be packed into a specialized shipping container for transport to its launch site. Carrying two instruments – the Total Irradiance Monitor and the Spectral Irradiance Monitor – TSIS-2 will continue a continuous record of total solar irradiance measurements since 1978.

These measurements are vital for understanding the Sun's influence on Earth's climate and improving climate predictions. NASA leads this mission in collaboration with GA-EMS and the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, which developed the instruments and oversees on-orbit operations, including data processing.

The mission is set to launch from New Zealand in early 2027 on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket, further enriching the scientific data available to the global research community.