Abstract
The performance of mission-critical components and systems within spacecraft and satellites requires the ability to control the local thermal environment. Under conditions of relatively constant component and system loading, this would involve radiative dissipation of both internally and externally generated heat loads and altering thermal balances to provide heating where necessary. As the local thermal load changes with component use, the need arises to alter the heat transfer rates and dissipation within the spacecraft. It is also desirable to be able to evaluate, reconfigure or repair space-based thermal control systems using only ground station commands. These needs can be met using a Plug-and-Play variable emittance control system where operational analysis and reconfiguration is accomplished via an improved Universal Serial Bus (USB) or space-wire controlled architecture. This paper presents a modular, USB/space-wire-driven thermal control system using a solid state thin-film infrared variable emittance device (EclipseVED™) from Eclipse Energy Systems, Inc. The paper discusses critical issues including connectivity, device control scale-up for the advancement of an integrated variable emittance system, comparison of device weight to other variable emittance systems, the capacity to replace or repair devices in-flight, the survivability of the system in space and the importance of individual device control.
Thermal Management Integration Using Plug-and Play Variable Emissivity Devices
The performance of mission-critical components and systems within spacecraft and satellites requires the ability to control the local thermal environment. Under conditions of relatively constant component and system loading, this would involve radiative dissipation of both internally and externally generated heat loads and altering thermal balances to provide heating where necessary. As the local thermal load changes with component use, the need arises to alter the heat transfer rates and dissipation within the spacecraft. It is also desirable to be able to evaluate, reconfigure or repair space-based thermal control systems using only ground station commands. These needs can be met using a Plug-and-Play variable emittance control system where operational analysis and reconfiguration is accomplished via an improved Universal Serial Bus (USB) or space-wire controlled architecture. This paper presents a modular, USB/space-wire-driven thermal control system using a solid state thin-film infrared variable emittance device (EclipseVED™) from Eclipse Energy Systems, Inc. The paper discusses critical issues including connectivity, device control scale-up for the advancement of an integrated variable emittance system, comparison of device weight to other variable emittance systems, the capacity to replace or repair devices in-flight, the survivability of the system in space and the importance of individual device control.
