Session
Technical Poster Session 3
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
Current CubeSat architecture has been developed “ad hoc” throughout multiple years with main goals of creating mechanically stable, sufficiently lightweight and low-cost structure. From their conception up to the current times, thermal issues in CubeSats have been of little concern due to relatively low power consumption. Typically, to accommodate a considerable number of different components in a CubeSat, the components are mounted on brackets. The brackets are connected to external panels which radiate waste heat into space. This heat path, from a component to a radiator, typically has a high thermal resistance which worsens the thermal performance of the satellite. This becomes a significant problem at high heat flow rates. However, in the case of low heat flow rate (as in majority current CubeSats), this phenomenon is not problematic and thermal implications of CubeSat architecture (like, component location) have been unimportant.
Current trends in CubeSat industry clearly indicate a demand for increased component power. This significantly increases waste heat generation and the flow rate of waste heat from a component to a radiator. Under current CubeSat architectures, it leads to a significant reduction of thermal performance of CubeSats. Our paper discusses a proposed architecture which provides a successful solution to this problem. It suggests a CubeSat architecture in which components placement increases a thermal efficiency of waste heat rejection. For example, high heat generating components should be mounted directly to a radiator and connected to it by a low thermal resistance interface. Components with low heat generation could be mounted on brackets and be connected to the radiator by high resistance thermal paths. The paper shows that the proposed CubeSat architecture will make CubeSat thermal performance more efficient while having the same component density. The major benefactors of the new architecture are high power nanosatellites. Demonstrated simulation results and test data confirm improvement of thermal efficiency of a CubeSat with the proposed architecture.
Architecture of High Power Nanosatellites
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Current CubeSat architecture has been developed “ad hoc” throughout multiple years with main goals of creating mechanically stable, sufficiently lightweight and low-cost structure. From their conception up to the current times, thermal issues in CubeSats have been of little concern due to relatively low power consumption. Typically, to accommodate a considerable number of different components in a CubeSat, the components are mounted on brackets. The brackets are connected to external panels which radiate waste heat into space. This heat path, from a component to a radiator, typically has a high thermal resistance which worsens the thermal performance of the satellite. This becomes a significant problem at high heat flow rates. However, in the case of low heat flow rate (as in majority current CubeSats), this phenomenon is not problematic and thermal implications of CubeSat architecture (like, component location) have been unimportant.
Current trends in CubeSat industry clearly indicate a demand for increased component power. This significantly increases waste heat generation and the flow rate of waste heat from a component to a radiator. Under current CubeSat architectures, it leads to a significant reduction of thermal performance of CubeSats. Our paper discusses a proposed architecture which provides a successful solution to this problem. It suggests a CubeSat architecture in which components placement increases a thermal efficiency of waste heat rejection. For example, high heat generating components should be mounted directly to a radiator and connected to it by a low thermal resistance interface. Components with low heat generation could be mounted on brackets and be connected to the radiator by high resistance thermal paths. The paper shows that the proposed CubeSat architecture will make CubeSat thermal performance more efficient while having the same component density. The major benefactors of the new architecture are high power nanosatellites. Demonstrated simulation results and test data confirm improvement of thermal efficiency of a CubeSat with the proposed architecture.
