The Ø3m x 7m vacuum chamber is the UK’s largest commercially available electric propulsion test facility, and is amongst the most capable in Europe. It is designed to test the latest high-power engines (up to 10 kW) on a range of propellants, from traditional noble gases to novel alternatives.
The combination of vacuum pumps achieves a combined xenon pumping speed of 120,000 l/s, with room to expand as industry demands increase.
The chamber is equipped with a water cooled graphite beam target on the inside of the door, and the chamber walls are lined with graphite panels. All designed to minimise backsputter.
A wide array of feedthroughs are available to support any requirement, including fluidic & electrical.
High precision torsional thrust balance:
Hemispherical diagnostic beam arm (Q4 2025):
Propellants are fed from our external gas store into the facility, via a continuously purged ATEX enclosure, which houses our precision Bronkhorst mass flow controllers, allowing us to handle flammable propellants such as hydrogen & oxygen, alongside xenon, krypton & argon.
A range of general purpose National Instruments DAQ is also available for use as required
Got a question? Find out more about our vacuum facility.
Contact UsPropellants will be charged at cost + 5%. Costs to be confirmed on booking.
Contact us to book your next test campaign. Requirements for our vacuum chamber are often bespoke, and we want to ensure that we give you an accurate price. Click here to reserve your testing dates, and the team will be in touch within two working days to discuss your test campaign and provide a quotation.
Reserve your chamber time nowWhat are your opening hours?
The vacuum facility operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except for public holidays & scheduled maintenance periods.
Our site is open from 7am – 8pm, Monday through Friday, with our friendly staff on hand to support from 8am – 6pm.
Should you require access to the facility outside of these hours do let us know, and individual arrangements can be made.
Do you provide propellants?
Yes, we can provide xenon, krypton, argon, hydrogen & oxygen at 99.999% purity.
Usage is billed at cost + 5%. You only pay for the gas you use.
Contact us for other grades or gases and we will try to accommodate. Use of other propellants is subject to a safety assessment.
Can I test non-propulsion hardware?
Yes, absolutely! Designing the chamber for electric propulsion, means it can handle devices with no gas load with ease, even with up to 50% of the pumps shutdown for better efficiency. Contact us with your requirements, and we’ll be in touch.
What type of feedthroughs are provided for me to use?
We have a wide range of electric and fluidic feedthroughs including:
For any other requirements, get in touch or bring your own feedthrough. There are plenty of spare KF40 & KF50 flanges to use.
Get in touch with us to enquire about booking our vacuum chamber.