宇航光缆热真空循环试验穿舱测试平台的研制

Development of Penetration Test Platform for Thermal Vacuum Cycle Test of Aerospace Optical Cable

宇航光缆已成为航天器高速组网或穿舱互连光通信的核心器件。热真空循环试验是验证宇航光缆受到高真空与极端高低温综合效应下光信号传输一致性和稳定性的关键试验。综合对比了多种热真空循环试验穿舱测试平台,采用高气密封光缆无损穿舱技术研制了一种新型穿舱测试平台。该穿舱测试平台没有光纤插头或熔接点,降低了热真空下带来的附加插损或光纤熔接点断裂的风险,提高了光缆热真空循环试验数据的准确性;在实现空间热真空环境下光信号无损传输的同时,可保持热真空试验箱内部的真空度,无需额外对光纤通信系统开展热设和热防护工作,减少了试验工装与电装环节,缩短了试验周期,提高了试验验证的可靠性。该穿舱测试平台在热真空循环试验过程中应用状态良好,为研究光缆在热真空环境下真实性能提供了试验依据。

Aerospace optical cable has become the core device of spacecraft high-speed networking or cross cabin interconnection optical communication. Thermal vacuum cycle test is the key test to verify the consistency and stability of optical signal transmission of aerospace optical cable under the combined effect of high vacuum and extreme high and low temperature. A variety of penetration test platforms for thermal vacuum cycle test are comprehensively compared, and a new penetration test platform is developed by using the nondestructive penetration technology of high gas sealed optical cable. There is no optical fiber plug or fusion point in the penetration test platform, which reduces the risk of additional insertion loss or optical fiber fusion point fracture under thermal vacuum, and improves the accuracy of optical cable thermal vacuum cycle test data. While realizing the lossless transmission of optical signals in the space thermal vacuum environment, it can maintain the vacuum inside the thermal vacuum test chamber, without additional thermal equipment and thermal protection for the optical fiber communication system, reduce the links of test tooling and electrical equipment, shorten the test cycle and improve the reliability of test verification. The test platform is in good condition during the thermal vacuum cycle test, which provides an experimental basis for studying the real performance of optical cable in thermal vacuum environment.