Spacecraft radiator system and method using east west coupled radiators

Abstract

A spacecraft, along with an improved spacecraft radiator system and spacecraft heat dissipation method are disclosed. The spacecraft comprises a body with north, south, east and west facing panels. The spacecraft radiator system comprises one or more heat pipes disposed on each of the east and west facing panels to provide east and west facing radiator panels, heat dissipating equipment selectively mounted on the heat pipes on the east and west facing panels, and one or more coupling heat pipes that thermally interconnect the heat pipes on the east and west facing radiator panels together. By coupling the east and west facing radiator panels together in this manner, they share the heat load. This increases the thermal dissipation capability of the east and west facing radiator panels and radiator system by approximately 50 %. This offers a ten-fold increase in the ability to transfer heat from the east to west sides of the spacecraft.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A spacecraft radiator system for use on a spacecraft having a body and north, south, east and west facing panels, the system comprising: 
 one or more heat pipes disposed on each of the east and west facing panels;    heat dissipating equipment selectively mounted on the heat pipes on the east and west facing panels; and    one or more coupling heat pipes that thermally interconnect the heat pipes on the east and west facing radiator panels together.    
     
     
         2 . The spacecraft radiator system recited in  claim 1  wherein the one or more coupling heat pipes comprise loop heat pipes.  
     
     
         3 . A spacecraft comprising: 
 a body comprising north, south, east and west facing panels; and    a spacecraft radiator system comprising: 
 one or more heat pipes disposed on each of the east and west facing panels;  
 heat dissipating equipment selectively mounted on the heat pipes on the east and west facing panels; and  
 one or more coupling heat pipes that thermally interconnect the heat pipes on the east and west facing radiator panels together.  
   
     
     
         4 . The spacecraft recited in  claim 3  wherein the one or more coupling heat pipes comprise loop heat pipes.  
     
     
         5 . A spacecraft heat dissipation method comprising the steps of: 
 configuring a spacecraft  10  to have a body with north, south, east and west facing panels, one or more heat pipes disposed on each of the east and west facing panels, heat dissipating equipment selectively mounted on the heat pipes on the east and west facing panels, and one or more coupling heat pipes that thermally interconnect the heat pipes on the east and west facing radiator panels together;    launching the spacecraft into orbit; and    when in orbit, heat coupled to the one or more heat pipes on the east and west facing panels by the heat dissipating equipment is coupled to the one or more heat pipes of the other of the east and west facing panels.    
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 5  wherein the one or more coupling heat pipes comprise loop heat pipes.