Hughes Electronics Corporation

David B Esposto

Calvin H Ito

Bruce L Drolen

George L Fleischman

Richard William Aston

James J Peterka, Iii

Ariel Gatti

A closed-loop heat pipe transport design for a deployment application having a flexible section which connects to a payload structure and a deployable structure. The flexible section is a coil which is offset from the axis of rotation of the deployable structure. Upon rotation of the deployable structure around a predetermined axis, the flexible coil decompresses and sweeps in an arcuate fashion with a portion of said flexible coil aligning with the axis. When the deployable structure has completed its rotation and is fully deployed, the flexible coil will rest in substantially the same plane as it did before sweeping.

Flexible heat transport design for development applications

A space module has a base and one or more side walls attached to the base. A top panel is attached to the one or more side walls so that the base, the one or more side walls and the top panel enclose an interior volume of space which is physically divided into a first area and a second area which are thermally and structurally segregated from one another.

Modular, independent subsystem design satellite bus and variable

A closed-loop heat pipe transport design for a deployment application having a flexible section which connects to a payload structure and a deployable structure. The flexible section folds over itself while the deployable structure is stowed. Upon rotation of the deployable structure around a predetermined axis, the flexible section unfolds, with a portion of the flexible section passing through the predetermined axis. When the deployable structure has completed its rotation and is fully deployed, the components of the flexible section will lie in substantially the same plane.

Flexible heat transport design for deployable radiator applications

The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring heat in a spacecraft. The apparatus includes a flexible heat pipe having a first section, a second section, and a flexible section. A first member of a spacecraft is coupled to the first section of the flexible heat pipe, and a second member of the spacecraft is coupled to the second section of the flexible heat pipe. The first member of the spacecraft is in a rigidly fixed relationship to the second member of the spacecraft. A method of using a heat transport system for transferring heat in a spacecraft is also provided. The method includes providing a flexible heat pipe having a first section, a second section, and a flexible section, coupling the first section of the flexible heat pipe to a first member of a spacecraft, and coupling the second section of the flexible heat pipe to a second member of the spacecraft rigidly fixed with respect to the first member.

Heat transport system for spacecraft integration

A spacecraft having a spacecraft body and a heat radiator attached to the spacecraft body. The heat radiator is in thermal contact with the spacecraft body and the heat radiator moves from an initial position to a deployed position where heat is emitted therefrom. The predetermined deployed position is located at an angular position .theta. as measured relative to the initial position, wherein .theta. ranges from approximately 135.degree. to less than 180.degree..

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Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

David B Esposto