General Electric Company

Paul V Barcomb

Peter K Homer

Roman Herschitz

Robert J Mackey

Vasuki Subarrao

John G Munro, Iii

Lisa M Grob

Equipment support and thermal radiation panels for a spacecraft include a transverse header heat pipe and a set of a plurality of 'spreader' heat pipes each including an elongated longitudinal portion and an 'L' portion lying in thermal contact with the header heat pipe. The elongated longitudinal portions of the spreader heat pipes are spaced apart and mutually parallel. A further set of spreader heat pipes, similar to the first set, is provided. At least part of the elongated longitudinal portion of each further heat pipe is physically parallel, and in thermal contact, with a heat pipe of the first set, and the 'L' portions of the further heat pipes are in thermal contact with a second header heat pipe. A make-break thermal joint juxtaposes a header heat pipe of each of two panels lying in different planes.

Spacecraft thermal panels & make-break thermal joints

Cylindrical battery cell vessels are coupled together in plural sets by pairs of half-shell sleeves. The sleeves conduct heat preferentially in an axial direction. Each sleeve set is mounted onto a heat rejection plate for direct radiation to space. Each satellite of a set of spacecraft has a North and/or South-facing region for mounting the heat rejection plates of the requisite number of cells. Each plate may be fitted with an optical solar reflector (OSR) for reflecting insolation, and for radiating heat energy.

Battery thermal control arrangement

An RF-transparent blanket provides thermal protection against solar and laser radiation. The blanket includes an outer layer of a transparent Kapton dielectric sheet with an outer surface coated with electrically conductive transparent indium-tin oxide to aid in suppressing electrostatic discharge. A second layer includes a transparent Kapton dielectric sheet with a coating of white silicone paint on the surface facing the first sheet. The outermost Kapton sheet protects the paint from long-term damage due to charged particle fluence and ultraviolet radiation. Further sheets of uncoated transparent Kapton, which may be embossed, are interposed between the second layer and a surface upon which an antenna is mounted to provide thermal insulation.

Growing community of inventors

Yardley, PA, United States of America

Paul V Barcomb