Thermal Management Systems

From the smallest satellite to the most complicated human spacecraft, thermal is seen as an enabling function of a vehicle. All temperatures must be maintained within design limits, whether those be cryogenic for science instruments or near room temperature for comfortable shirt sleeve operations of the crew. As missions evolve and thermal environments become more extreme, NASA seeks novel solutions, components, and system design techniques for both active and passive thermal systems. Such solutions participate in the completion of the thermal cycle which includes waste energy acquisition, transport, rejection/storage, and insulation. The intended goal for any advanced thermal development is to enable new mission concepts that result in minimal impact on thermal system mass, volume, and power.