THERMAL DESIGN OF CURRENT NAVIGATIONAL SATELLITES.

Abstract

In recent years Navy Navigational Satellites in orbit have been operating at temperatures some 20 to 30F hotter than was predicted by preflight tests and calculations. As a consequence, an exhaustive analysis of the thermal design was conducted, followed by a very extensive thermal vacuum testing program. This testing program verified most of the analysis and supplied solutions to problems that could not be answered in the analysis. In the final design, low thermal resistances were used between inside components and the satellite exterior. Large amounts of thermal control power were dissipated on the internal components in order to maintain a nearly constant temperature. As a result of the new design, derived from the analysis and testing, the difference between orbital results and preflight calculations was reduced to 2 - 3F. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1966
Accession Number
AD0648307

Entities

People

  • S. E. Willis Jr

Organizations

  • Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Physical Properties
  • Resistance
  • Thermal Resistance

Readers

  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites