Patent · US Active

Method of operating a spacecraft radiator panel

US11807403B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
14References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 19, 2021
Grant dateNov 7, 2023
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 22, 2042

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB64G1/506
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Techniques for minimizing diurnal temperature variation of a radiator of a spacecraft are disclosed. In one aspect, a spacecraft includes a body, a radiator panel, and a heat dissipating unit thermally coupled with the radiator panel. The spacecraft is configured to operate in an orbital plane, and has a yaw axis within the orbital plane and directed from a spacecraft coordinate system origin toward nadir, a pitch axis orthogonal to the orbital plane, and a roll axis orthogonal to the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The radiator panel includes a surface area external to a body of the spacecraft, a first portion of the surface area facing a first direction that is substantially parallel to the roll axis, and a second portion of the surface area facing a second direction that has a substantial component parallel to the yaw axis.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.