High-Capacity Thermal Storage for Passive Thermal Control Systems

As the power levels and sizes of small satellites grow, new applications open up, along with new challenges for thermal control. Greater amounts of heat must be transported across longer distances, making it more difficult to control component temperatures using simple, passive systems. We propose to develop an innovative thermal storage technology for small satellite thermal control systems. Our technology offers high-energy storage density, excellent thermal conductance, and simple system integration. Thermal storage will enable high-power small satellites to continue using passive thermal control systems instead of active thermal control systems while operating high-power components in variable thermal environments. In Phase I, we will prove the feasibility of our approach through proof-of-concept experiments and prototype design.