IXPE completed its 21-day, 24/7 Observatory-level thermal vacuum testing on 8/4/21. The final hot-cold limited performance tests were successfully completed prior to bringing chamber to ambient conditions. MSFC, Italian partners, and Ball participated in a“break-configuration” meeting prior to proceeding with chamber repress. MSFC thermal engineers from ES, system engineers, and project engineers were all on-site at Ball throughout testing. Several test anomalies were recorded and closed during the 21-day test. The final operation to stow the IXPE boom was completed on 8/9/21 with the critical move of Observatory back to “clean room” on 8/11/21.
