Thermal Control Provision System for the TabletSat-Aurora microsatellite: design and flight adaptation

Аuthors

Zharenov I. S.^*, Zhumaev Z. S.^**

Bauman Moscow State Technical University, MSTU, 5, bldg. 1, 2-nd Baumanskaya str., Moscow, 105005, Russia

*e-mail: igorzha@mail.ru, izharenov@sputnix.ru
**e-mail: zhumaev@sputnix.ru

Abstract

The paper considers the design of Thermal Control System (TCS) for TabletSat microsatellite. The satellite was launched into orbit (SSO, 606 km altitude, LTAN 10:30) from Yasny space-launch complex on June 19, 2014 for non-commercial technological experiments. The lead product developer of this satellite is JSC SPUTNIX. The satellite, just as the entire TabletSat platform, was designed according to Plug-and-Play principle. It required, apart from interfaces standardization, to use methods of fast thermal control system (TCS) development, which would allow provide proper thermal fields on-board for a wide range of payloads and spacecraft structures.

Due to narrow time and development cost constraints the decision to implement passive type of TCS was taken. For fast TCS development the authors recommend to fasten all side panels with standardized brass thermal bridges; connect all instruments and other thermal contact surfaces by heat-conductive adhesive; to install electric heaters with temperature control inside overcooling sensitive devices.

TabletSat-Aurora has the shape of a hexagonal prism, consisted of structural panels with onboard systems mounted on them, and deployable solar panels installed on the top panel plane. Panel optical enamel coating scheme is determined from computational modeling with modern CAE systems, such as Thermal Desktop, which the authors of the paper used.

Thermal modeling is carried out with allowance for heat currents from the Sun, the Earth and Sun radiation reflected form the Earth. It also considers the cyclic graph of on-board equipment heat emission. For each scheme of panel optical enamel coating the authors carried out time simulation for different spacecraft ADCS modes for 14 orbit passes, which compose full spacecraft operation cycle with payload energy-storage passes.

The best TCS structural scheme was sel ected according to the results of modeling. During the satellite flight operation data fr om thermal sensors mounted inside the onboard devices, batteries and solar panels have been collected. The experimental data agreed on the qualitative level with the results of modeling (the ranges of temperature variations obtained by modeling and in reality are the same). The authors determined also the results of future updating of fast TCS development standard for microsatellites, as well as recent trends of TM/TC system upgrade.

In accordance with the results of the satellite assembly, suggestions to structural elements update, such as search for optical non-crumpling enamel and replacement of heat-conductive adhesive by conductive gaskets to provide fast disassembling.

Keywords:

micro-satellite, Plug-and-Play, thermal control, passive thermal control provision, thermal time simulation

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