Modular Thermal Management System for Spacecraft

Abstract

A composite panel provides structural strength and rigidity for modular assembly of spacecraft while serving the dual purposes of structure and heat transfer for thermal management of an environment for equipment, such as a spacecraft. Instruments, gimbals, surveillance, imaging, detectors, and the like may be mounted in a spacecraft designed and constructed from standard panels to provide the structural and heat transfer requirements to support the onboard equipment. Extremely small temperature differentials required by the panels support a substantially isothermal perimeter for the structure, able to sink heat from any location on a panel, transport it to a rejection site, and reject it to the cold environment of space, thus easing the task of design and packaging of instrumentation and infrastructure of satellites and other spacecraft. Two-phase mass transport of fluids inside the panels aids high heat flux rates with minimal temperature differentials, even with reinforced, composite, polymeric materials for the structural elements of the panels.

1 . A spacecraft comprising:
 a first panel forming a first container comprising opposing layers, formed of a structural material and provided with channels transporting a liquid phase of an operating fluid by capillary action toward a comparatively hotter location within the first container and vapor spaces transporting a vapor phase of the operating fluid by convection from the comparatively hotter location toward a comparatively cooler location within the first container;   a second panel forming a second container comprising opposing layers, formed of a structural material and provided with channels transporting a liquid phase of an operating fluid by capillary action toward a comparatively hotter location within the second container and vapor spaces transporting a vapor phase of the operating fluid by convection from the comparatively hotter location toward a comparatively cooler location within the second container;   the second panel connected substantially rigidly to the first panel and in thermal communication therewith to exchange heat therewith and forming a structural unit therewith; and   a mount connecting a source of heat to at least one of the first and second panels structurally and thermally to exchange mechanical force and heat therewith.   
   
   
       2 . The spacecraft of  claim 1 , further comprising third and fourth panels, the first, second, third, and fourth panels connected substantially rigidly to the first panel and in thermal communication therewith to exchange heat therewith and forming a structural unit therewith. 
   
   
       3 . The spacecraft of  claim 2 , wherein the third panel forms a third container comprising opposing layers, formed of a structural material and provided with channels transporting a liquid phase of an operating fluid by capillary action toward a comparatively hotter location within the third container and vapor spaces transporting a vapor phase of the operating fluid by convection from the comparatively hotter location toward a comparatively cooler location within the third container. 
   
   
       4 . The spacecraft of  claim 3 , wherein the forth panel forms a third container comprising opposing layers, formed of a structural material and provided with channels transporting a liquid phase of an operating fluid by capillary action toward a comparatively hotter location within the forth container and vapor spaces transporting a vapor phase of the operating fluid by convection from the comparatively hotter location toward a comparatively cooler location within the forth container. 
   
   
       5 . The spacecraft of  claim 4 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth panels form the primary frame structure of the spacecraft to which other components of the spacecraft connect. 
   
   
       6 . The spacecraft of  claim 5 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth panels are substantially isothermal. 
   
   
       7 . The spacecraft of  claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth panels form a perimeter of the spacecraft.