TABLE OF CONTENTS Satellites perform better and last longer when their components remain within certain temperature limits, usually, but not always, near the level at which they are assembled. Satellite thermal control deals with the theory and practice by which these temperatures are produced, and the function of the thermal engineer is to determine the influencing factors and manage them within the constraints of the satellite as one system. The process involves unique methods of analysis and test and often requires the use of some highly specialized hardware.
Thus, the problem of thermal control must begin by establishing the temperature specifications under which the satellite is to exist during various stages of its life. The thermal design should then be such that the specified values, especially those in orbit, are not exceeded. This is asserted during development by analysis, similarity studies, and tests. Additional confidence in long-term operation is gained when the satellite and its separate components are shown to maintain their integrity and perform satisfactorily when subjected to short-term temperatures that go beyond those expected in the course of the mission.
Some of the immediate questions are: What are these temperatures? How are they established, and where exactly do they apply? Normally, the interest is in locations where temperature is known to affect the operation. When it is not possible to monitor the precise location, adjacent but more accessible regions are designated and related by analysis or test to those under consideration.
But because of the diversity of...
