This test was carried out at KTH premises, Teknikringen 31
The purpose of this test is to get a reference for the leakage of gases in the NanoProp propulsion system before it is subjected to the system level vibration test. For this purpose the satellite was placed in a small vacuum tank in the student laboratory/workshop at Teknikringen 31 at KTH. The satellite was controlled via an umbilical through the vacuum tank wall. Helium was used as the test gas and a leak detector borrowed from the fusion power lab at KTH was used. Leakage rates were determined to be below acceptable levels.
Above: Test crew for the Nanoprop leak check. Left to right: Thomas Chann, Risha Haq, Erik Hedenström, Bo Yuan. The satellite (two top stacks) is under the plastic cover on the left and the vacuum tank is hidden behind various equipment on the right. The location is the student workshop at Teknikringen 31.
Below: Risha and Bo insert the satellite in the small vacuum tank.
Below: The satellite, and clearly visible, the butane propellant tank of NanoProp. For this test we use helium to detect possible leaks. The multicoloured cable is the umbilical cable through which the ground support equipment communicates with MIST while it is in the tank.
The Miniature Student Satellite 