The Antwerp Space company inaugurated a new clean room Wednesday in the District of Hoboken, Antwerp. This room, with air containing very few particles of dust, assures the proper operation of equipment and exposes it to the conditions to be encountered in space.
Antwerp Space’s new clean room in Hoboken has an area, at floor level, of 100 m2 and an average height of 3 m. The temperature (of about 22°) and the level of humidity (approximately 55%) are permanently controlled in order to avoid, among others, corrosion or electric shocks. Air pressure in the room must also be permanently somewhat above normal.
All of these measures allow protecting the high technology equipment, particularly against corrosion and electrical shocks.
The new Antwerp Space clean room will be used beginning in November for the production of elements to be employed in certain programmes of the European Space Agency, including missions to Mars and to the satellites of Jupiter.
Antwerp Space is one of the oldest space companies of Belgium, dating back to 1962, when it became established as a company within the Alcatel Bell group. The company was purchased by the German group OHB in July 2010.
(Source: Belga)
