Thermal Vacuum and Control of Spacecraft VED's

  • Background 
    • Micro-modular satellites currently operating in low-Earth orbit (LEO) experience time-dependent heat fluxes
      • Produces unwanted thermal stress variations on the satellite and payload
      • Requires a thermal control system specifically designed to mitigate thermal loads 
    • A controllable, alternative Variable Emissivity Device (VED) provides a potential solution
      • A control system within the spacecraft will detect thermal influx and efflux, and generate a small voltage in response to large temperature differences which approach the spacecraft's operating temperatures
      • The voltage will activate the alternating opaque and transparent state capabilities of the novel VED
      • Thermal flux mitigation is the process to be controlled 
  • Goals and Objectives:
    • Engineer and test a thermal control system capable of thermal flux detection and data acquisition
    • Design, test, and manufacture a vacuum chamber capable of operating within the medium-to-transitional vacuum regime 
    • Integrate the thermal control system within the vacuum chamber to enable thermal conduction and thermal radiation generation, detection, and testing capabilities
    • Perform environmental testing on alternative VED technologies
  • Chief Engineer and Project Manager
  • Sponsor/Advisor
Project status: 
Active
Department: 
MAE
Term: 
Fall
Academic year: 
2020-2021
Fall Poster: