Accession Number:

AD0648307

Title:

THERMAL DESIGN OF CURRENT NAVIGATIONAL SATELLITES.

Descriptive Note:

Technical memo.,

Corporate Author:

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV SILVER SPRING MD APPLIED PHYSICS LAB

Personal Author(s):

• Willis,S. E. , Jr

Report Date:

1966-10-01

Pagination or Media Count:

41.0

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

Descriptors:

• *NAVIGATION SATELLITES
• *THERMAL RADIATION
• POWER SUPPLIES
• TEMPERATURE CONTROL
• SOLAR RADIATION
• HEAT SHIELDS
• HEAT TRANSFER

Subject Categories:

• Thermodynamics
• Unmanned Spacecraft

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE