SHINeS: Space and High-Irradiance Near-Sun Simulator

We present SHINeS, a space simulator which can be used to replicate the thermal environment in immediate neighborhood of Sun down heliocentric distance r ∼ 0.06 au. The system consists three main parts: solar was designed and constructed in-house, vacuum chamber, probing recording equipment needed monitor experimental procedures. Our motivation for building this study effect intense radiation on surfaces asteroids when their perihelion distances become smaller than semi-major axis orbit Mercury. Comparisons between observational data recent size-frequency models population near-Earth suggest that are super-catastrophically destroyed they approach Sun. Whereas current agnostic about disruption mechanism, SHINeS developed mechanism or mechanisms responsible. can, however, other applications need effects high natural artificial objects.