Spacecraft thermal management system

摘要

A spacecraft (18) for deployment in geosynchronous orbit about the Earth (20), comprising six face panels (21-30) which enclose a compartment containing electronic powering components mounted on the interior surfaces thereof. The panels include opposed north-facing (21) and south-facing (22) panels which do not undergo sun-exposure remain cool and provide safe interior surfaces for the electronic powering components mounted thereon, and four side panels (24-30) which are successively rotated into diurnal sun-exposure attitude during which their temperature normally rises so excessively as to damage electronic powering components mounted on the interior surfaces thereof. The invention comprises providing the east-facing (28) and west-facing (30) panels with at least one continuous circulation system (40) containing a heat exchange fluid which absorbs heat from the one of said panels undergoing sun exposure and circulates it to the other of said panels to moderate the temperature of the east-facing (28) and west-facing (30) panels. This prevents heat damage to electronic powering components mounted on the interior surfaces of the east and west panels, whereby the total interior surface area of the panels available for the safe mounting of the components is substantially increased. <IMAGE>