Specimen grip with remote actuation

A modular actuator assembly for use with an environmental chamber having a port of a first diameter through a wall thereof, said environmental chamber having an environment different from ambient conditions, comprising:

• a specimen grip member for mounting inside said environmental chamber and for loading a specimen in the chamber;
• an actuator assembly for operating the specimen grip to grip a specimen, said actuator assembly being positioned to the exterior of said environmental chamber;
• an operating link extending between said actuator assembly and said specimen grip assembly for operating the specimen grip;
• and
• a tubular connecting sleeve joining the specimen grip member and the actuator, corresponding in length to the operating link, said tubular sleeve passing through said port and surrounding said operating link, said tubular sleeve being substantially smaller in diameter than the specimen grip member and removably coupled to the specimen grip member on the interior of the environmental chamber.