Session
Technical Poster Session 3
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
In space, satellites are subject to an extreme environment. However, their subsystems are designed to operate within a limited range of temperatures, so pre-emptive thermal analyses avoid their malfunctioning and failure. Regarding CubeSats, a significant number of missions neglected thermal analysis in the early days. Nonetheless, in recent years, nanosatellites have experienced a continuous increase in both mass and power, evincing a crucial need for thermal management.
Radian is a thermal analysis software conceived to provide agility to engineers, both at modelling and computing processes. Our software is accessible through a regular web browser and counts on a scalable network of computing resources in the cloud. Thermal analyses are supported by the Databank, a catalogue of satellite components, modelled materials and surface treatments, orbits, and attitude configurations. The Databank enables rapid importing and reusing of modelled components, and access to COTS parts from manufacturers. Importing and exporting thermal models compatible with other tools will also possible, thanks to the support of the Thermal Analysis & Software group at ESA/ESTEC.
The underlying simulation engine reproduces the orbital environment and the thermal solution. Detection of penumbra, multibody eclipse, or telescope pointing are some of the featured aspects of the simulated conditions, all validated against GMAT. Thermal models are based on lumped-parameter networks, linked by conductive couplings (supported by contact detection), and radiative couplings (computed by Monte Carlo ray-tracing). Dissipative loads may also be thermostatic, recreating the behavior of heaters.
Simplifying Thermal Analysis for Space
Utah State University, Logan, UT
In space, satellites are subject to an extreme environment. However, their subsystems are designed to operate within a limited range of temperatures, so pre-emptive thermal analyses avoid their malfunctioning and failure. Regarding CubeSats, a significant number of missions neglected thermal analysis in the early days. Nonetheless, in recent years, nanosatellites have experienced a continuous increase in both mass and power, evincing a crucial need for thermal management.
Radian is a thermal analysis software conceived to provide agility to engineers, both at modelling and computing processes. Our software is accessible through a regular web browser and counts on a scalable network of computing resources in the cloud. Thermal analyses are supported by the Databank, a catalogue of satellite components, modelled materials and surface treatments, orbits, and attitude configurations. The Databank enables rapid importing and reusing of modelled components, and access to COTS parts from manufacturers. Importing and exporting thermal models compatible with other tools will also possible, thanks to the support of the Thermal Analysis & Software group at ESA/ESTEC.
The underlying simulation engine reproduces the orbital environment and the thermal solution. Detection of penumbra, multibody eclipse, or telescope pointing are some of the featured aspects of the simulated conditions, all validated against GMAT. Thermal models are based on lumped-parameter networks, linked by conductive couplings (supported by contact detection), and radiative couplings (computed by Monte Carlo ray-tracing). Dissipative loads may also be thermostatic, recreating the behavior of heaters.
