Helio Acquires Full Scale Thermal Vacuum Chamber, Accelerating Qualification of Space Based Systems
Helio adds an in-house full-scale thermal vacuum chamber to speed qualification of deployable booms for space-based solar power and lunar systems.
Rhea-AI Summary
Helio (HLEO) has acquired a full-scale thermal vacuum chamber on loan from a leading academic institution to support its space-based solar power and lunar hardware programs.
The chamber measures about 5.5 feet wide by 10 feet long with an internal height of 26 feet, allowing deployment and testing of long boom structures under simulated space vacuum and extreme thermal cycling. Bringing this capability in-house removes reliance on third-party facilities, which the company says previously constrained schedules and added cost. Helio plans to run iterative thermal vacuum cycles on its extendable boom architectures, compressing development for deployable structures used in solar arrays, antenna systems, instrument booms, and lunar surface hardware. The chamber also enables research on longer, more complex boom geometries supporting Helio’s lunar programs and recently filed patent family for precision deployable boom architecture.
Positive
- In-house thermal vacuum chamber eliminates reliance on third-party test facilities
- Full-scale chamber supports qualification of long deployable booms for SBSP and lunar hardware
- Capability allows iterative testing that may compress development cycles and control costs
Negative
- None.
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BERKELEY, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 22, 2026 / Helio Corporation (OTCID:HLEO) ("Helio" or the "Company"), a developer of advanced Space-Based Solar Power and engineering technologies pioneering commercial lunar hardware, today announced the acquisition of a full-scale thermal vacuum chamber on loan from a leading academic institution, a capability upgrade that positions Helio to dramatically accelerate the design, testing, and qualification central to its space based solar power and lunar deployable hardware programs.
The chamber measures approximately five feet six inches wide by ten feet long, with an internal height that extends to twenty-six feet, purpose built to accommodate the deployment of long structures under simulated space conditions. This configuration gives Helio the in-house capability to test and deploy mechanisms and booms while replicating the extreme hot and cold thermal cycling that spacecraft and lunar surface systems experience in orbit and on the lunar surface.
Thermal vacuum testing is one of the most demanding and most essential steps in qualifying deployable space hardware, and access to a chamber of this scale has historically required third party facility bookings that constrain schedule and add cost. With this asset now on site, Helio can run iterative thermal vacuum cycles on its extendable boom architectures on its own timeline, compressing development cycles for the deployable structures that support solar arrays, antenna systems, and instrument booms across both its SBSP platforms and lunar surface hardware. The capability also opens the door to studying how longer, more complex boom geometries perform under the wide thermal swings found in cislunar and lunar environments, work that directly supports Helio's ongoing lunar programs and its recently filed patent family covering precision deployable boom architecture.
Helio has established itself as a front runner in deployable, space qualified boom hardware, and this chamber gives the Company a rare in-house capability to prove that leadership at full scale rather than relying on scaled down demonstrations. Booms are the backbone of the large structures required for space-based solar power collection and for lunar surface science and infrastructure, and the ability to thermally qualify longer booms in-house strengthens Helio's position to deliver flight proven mechanisms to NASA, commercial partners, and academic collaborators.
"This capability strengthens our ability to execute faster, control development costs, and advance critical hardware toward qualification," said Ed Cabrera, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Helio Corporation. "As we build our lunar and space-based solar power businesses, we are focused on turning these capabilities into commercial opportunities and long-term value for our shareholders."
For More Information:
Ed Cabrera
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Helio Corporation
(956) 225-9639
emcabrera@helio.space
About Helio Corporation
Helio is pioneering a new class of energy infrastructure-space-based power systems aka "Power plants in space" that captures solar energy beyond Earth's atmosphere and beams it safely and efficiently to the surface. Our vision is to establish orbital energy platforms as a foundational layer of the global power grid, delivering uninterrupted, carbon-free electricity at scale and reshaping how nations power cities, industries, and critical systems. Founded in 2018 as the 'problem solvers to the space industry,' Helio designs and delivers world-class space mechanisms, advanced antenna systems, and space design solutions; supporting NASA, private companies, universities, and global space agencies across missions ranging from small-scale programs to flagship space initiatives. We are proud to be a trusted partner to over a dozen space agencies, organizations, and companies across the globe. Our products can be found operating from the Sun to Jupiter. From NASA and European Space Agency to emerging private aerospace firms and academic institutions, we collaborate with some of the most innovative and forward-thinking players in the space industry. Helio Corporation is focused on developing and commercializing technologies for aerospace, space systems, and related advanced engineering applications. Through its operating subsidiaries, Helio seeks to build a portfolio of technologies and intellectual property directed to future space infrastructure and deployable systems.
For more information on the new strategic direction, financing initiatives and management additions, please visit www.helio.space to be added to our email list.
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SOURCE: Helio Corporation
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
FAQ
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What are the key specifications of Helio’s new thermal vacuum chamber?
The chamber is approximately five feet six inches wide by ten feet long, with an internal height extending to twenty-six feet. It is purpose built to accommodate deployment of long structures under simulated space vacuum and extreme hot and cold thermal cycling.
How does this chamber support Helio’s lunar and space-based solar power programs?
The chamber allows Helio to thermally qualify longer deployable booms used for solar arrays, antenna systems, instrument booms, and lunar surface infrastructure. It also supports studies of longer, more complex boom geometries under cislunar and lunar thermal conditions, directly tied to the company’s lunar programs and its recently filed patent family for precision deployable boom architecture.
Why does Helio view in-house thermal vacuum testing as important for its business?
The company states that previously it had to book third-party facilities, which constrained schedules and added cost. With the chamber on site, Helio can execute testing on its own timeline, run iterative thermal vacuum cycles, and focus on turning this capability into commercial opportunities and long-term value for shareholders.