Session
Advanced Technologies 1
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
This paper will discuss the basic design, fabrication, and experimental validation plan of the Active Thermal Architecture (ATA), a novel Active Thermal Control (ATC) technology that will be demonstrated on the upcoming Active Cooling for Multispectral Earth Sensors (ACMES) mission. The ATA is an integrated single-phase mechanically pumped fluid-loop (MPFL) thermal control system developed for high-power small-satellite applications. The ATA is constructed using 3D Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing to co-fabricate the internal thermal transport channels and structural members, enabling direct integration of heat exchangers and fluid pathways within primary spacecraft components. The resulting architecture reduces mechanical interfaces, improves thermal transfer, and provides a modular platform for scalable heat rejection.
The ATA features dual, independent, pumped fluid loops with redundant micro-pump assemblies. Deployed radiators are coupled to the bus MPFL’s through multi-axis rotary fluid joints. By leveraging motorized folding and tracking radiators, the ATA is capable of dynamic spacecraft/radiator geometries and fully scaled thermal power rejection. The current ATA system will modulate a thermal power load of approximately ~150 W, with zonal setpoint temperature control of better than ±2.5 °C, within a CubeSat-class platform.
The ATA will integrate with the Hyperspectral Thermal Imager 2.0 (HyTI 2.0) instrument developed by the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory at Manoa. HyTI is a Fabry–Perot–style push-broom LWIR interferometric imager operating across the 8–12 μm spectral region. HyTI 2.0 provides 25 discrete spectral bands with ground sampling on the order of tens of meters, enabling detailed observation of surface features such as geology, hydrology, soil composition, and transient atmospheric phenomena such as volcanic ash and airborne dust. HyTI incorporates the novel HOT BIRD detector technology, onboard cryogenic focal-plane cooling, and real-time space-edge data processing to reduce latency between collection and analysis. Together, these capabilities position ACMES to generate scientifically meaningful datasets that support both environmental monitoring and rapid-response geophysical applications. The ACMES mission is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) under an InVEST grant and is currently being developed by the Center for Space Engineering at Utah State University and the Hawaii Spaceflight Laboratory. ACMES is planned to launch in 2027.
This paper will detail the basic design of the ATA technology, thermal modeling results & predicted performance, fabrication, and the AI&T GEVS qualification plan, including random vibration, thermal cycling, and thermal balance. The demonstrated combination of integrated manufacturing, scalable thermal architecture, and validated environmental performance will position ATA as a key enabling technology for future high-power small-satellite missions.
Document Type
Event
Design and Performance of the Active Thermal Architecture Technology for the Upcoming ACMES Mission
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
This paper will discuss the basic design, fabrication, and experimental validation plan of the Active Thermal Architecture (ATA), a novel Active Thermal Control (ATC) technology that will be demonstrated on the upcoming Active Cooling for Multispectral Earth Sensors (ACMES) mission. The ATA is an integrated single-phase mechanically pumped fluid-loop (MPFL) thermal control system developed for high-power small-satellite applications. The ATA is constructed using 3D Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing to co-fabricate the internal thermal transport channels and structural members, enabling direct integration of heat exchangers and fluid pathways within primary spacecraft components. The resulting architecture reduces mechanical interfaces, improves thermal transfer, and provides a modular platform for scalable heat rejection.
The ATA features dual, independent, pumped fluid loops with redundant micro-pump assemblies. Deployed radiators are coupled to the bus MPFL’s through multi-axis rotary fluid joints. By leveraging motorized folding and tracking radiators, the ATA is capable of dynamic spacecraft/radiator geometries and fully scaled thermal power rejection. The current ATA system will modulate a thermal power load of approximately ~150 W, with zonal setpoint temperature control of better than ±2.5 °C, within a CubeSat-class platform.
The ATA will integrate with the Hyperspectral Thermal Imager 2.0 (HyTI 2.0) instrument developed by the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory at Manoa. HyTI is a Fabry–Perot–style push-broom LWIR interferometric imager operating across the 8–12 μm spectral region. HyTI 2.0 provides 25 discrete spectral bands with ground sampling on the order of tens of meters, enabling detailed observation of surface features such as geology, hydrology, soil composition, and transient atmospheric phenomena such as volcanic ash and airborne dust. HyTI incorporates the novel HOT BIRD detector technology, onboard cryogenic focal-plane cooling, and real-time space-edge data processing to reduce latency between collection and analysis. Together, these capabilities position ACMES to generate scientifically meaningful datasets that support both environmental monitoring and rapid-response geophysical applications. The ACMES mission is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) under an InVEST grant and is currently being developed by the Center for Space Engineering at Utah State University and the Hawaii Spaceflight Laboratory. ACMES is planned to launch in 2027.
This paper will detail the basic design of the ATA technology, thermal modeling results & predicted performance, fabrication, and the AI&T GEVS qualification plan, including random vibration, thermal cycling, and thermal balance. The demonstrated combination of integrated manufacturing, scalable thermal architecture, and validated environmental performance will position ATA as a key enabling technology for future high-power small-satellite missions.
