Alphasat TDP#3: 2-Phase Deployable Radiator

  • Status
    Ongoing
  • Status date
    2008-11-26
Objectives

The development of large deployable radiators is needed to meet the power dissipation requirements for new upcoming spacecrafts. Satellite prime contractors (EADS/Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space) and product supplier (EHP) have decided to cooperate in order to supply a common deployable radiator product.

Because of the critical requirements on mass and thermal conductance, innovative solutions will be considered in order to propose a high performance product at low cost and at short notice.

The flight opportunity onboard Alphasat Spacecraft, provided by ESA, allows European Space Industry to Space qualify a major ITAR free thermal hardware.
Challenges

The aims of this feasibility study are to address:


  • The two phase deployable radiator (DPR) system requirements definition,

  • The DPR development specifications and the related design analyses,

  • The interface control documentation,

  • The development logic and schedule,

  • The consolidated industrial team and funding requirement,

  • The DPR utilisation plan.
Benefits

The deployable radiator demonstrator is a major opportunity to place Europe at the same level as US prime constructors.

Features

 













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The System architecture fit the scopes of the experiment. It is composed of following main items:


  • 4 High performances loop Heat Pipes fixed on the S/C Heat pipe network

  • 1 deployable CFRP radiator panel with embedded heaters & tubing. Both face are radiative area .

  • 4 Hold Down & Release Mechanisms common to the solar array ones connect the radiator to the platform during launch,

  • 1 Deployment Mechanism (axis inclined at 45º) to deploy the DPR (once on orbit & after Solar Array deployments) 

  • tubing to connect the 4 LHP²?s to the radiator (with flexible part at mechanism level to allow deployment) 

  • MLI , heaters

Main Performances:



  • Mass= 36Kg,

  • Max heat rejection with 4 LHP² =2015W

  • Max radiator heating to avoid freezing (>65ºC)= 670W

Risk are limited and mitigate through a 4 month technological validation phase initiated at beginning of the 28 month total development.

Plan

The tasks performed under the project are organised as follows:



























Task 1 Mission definition
Task 2 System design and analysis
Task 3 DPR architecture trade-off and baseline selection
Task 6 DPR Accommodation
Task 7 Design, Development & Verification plan
Task 8 Technology Pre-development
Task 9 Engineering plan for Phase B
Task 10 Industrial team, Phase B proposal & Cost estimate
Task 11 Preliminary Requirement Review
Current status

Status in October 2006:



  • The Final Preliminary Requirement Review has been held successfully at Toulouse the 24th of august. At this meeting, the results of Task 1 to 11 have been presented.

  • TDP day presentation was held at ESTEC the 29 of September

  • Data package with all due documents has been delivered

  • End of activities