Active Thermal Management System (ATMS) for Spacecraft in a MEO and GEO Space

"Foster-Miller proposes a highly innovative concept for an Active Thermal Management System (ATMS) that is sufficiently robust to allow operation in a space environment for between 15 to 20 years. ATMS is designed to generate a surface exhibiting aconstant low absorptance value throughout the solar spectrum and variable emissivity values over the thermal IR region. Impinging sunlight will be efficiently reflected off the surface and thus contribute little or no additional heat to the spacecraftinterior. High emissivity values will allow spacecraft heat to be radiated into space, cooling the spacecraft interior. Low emissivity values will reduce or prevent radiative cooling, allowing heat to build up within the spacecraft. Spacecraft internaltemperatures can be maintained at a constant level by selecting appropriate intermediate emissivity values. ATMS robustness results because it relies on no moving parts or changes in polymer oxidation states to generate variable emissivity values. Ourconcept takes proven terrestrial bound technology, modifies it for this application, and hardens it for use in the space environment. We are teamed with a supplier of key thermal materials, a thermal coatings manufacturer, and a spacecraft manufacturer,which will permit rapid demonstration, qualification, and production of products from this program. (P-020201) ATMS can be used as thermal management system for a variety of applications such as