Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands B.v

Airbus Defence and Space Sas

Bruin Benthem

Fabrice Mena

Johan Hendrik Cruijssen

Petrus Cornelis Datema

A radiative fin for a spacecraft is disclosed having an end fitting of heat conductive material, configured to be mounted on the spacecraft, a flexible radiative laminate, connected to the end fitting at one end and having an opposite free end, at least one pyrolytic graphite sheet, and at least one heat emission layer in contact with the pyrolythic graphite sheet on at least part of the surface of the pyrolythic graphite sheet, and a flexible rod, extending from the end fitting along at least part of a side of the flexible radiative laminate and being affixed to the latter. The flexible rod is adapted to occupy a folded position and a deployed position and to exert, while in the folded position, a deployment torque adapted to bring the flexible rod back to the deployed position.

Flexible radiative fin for a spacecraft

A spacecraft (), comprising a body (), a solar array () with a support panel () which is connected to the body, and a thermal radiator () that is connected to the body and which includes a radiator substrate () that is thermally coupled to the body via at least one heat link (). The solar array and thermal radiator are configured to be transitioned from a stowed state wherein the support panel and the radiator substrate are held fixed in an overlapping arrangement along and near the body, to a deployed state wherein the solar array is unfolded with the support panel positioned at a distance from the body and the radiator substrate is folded away from the body and the solar array. Preferably, the solar array and thermal radiator are flexible, to allow them to be kept in an overlapping and temporarily bent shape in the stowed state.

Solar panel and flexible radiator for a spacecraft

A radiator, comprising at least one heat conductive layer with pyrolytic graphite material and an in-plane heat conductivity of at least 500 W/m&#xb7;K. The radiator further comprises at least one heat emission layer that is in contact with the heat conductive layer, wherein the emission layer has an exposed surface with an emissivity of at least 0.7. The radiator is to be used in combination with a space vehicle structure, and due to its flexible character may be conformed to the particular shapes of such structure.

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Leiden, Netherlands

Bruin Benthem