One Nodal Thermal Analysis for Nano and Micro Satellites on Sun-Synchronous and Circular Orbits

Abstract

One nodal thermal analysis of nano and micro cubic satellites pointing to the Earth on sun-synchronous and circular orbits is carried out. The altitudes of the orbits are from 300 to 1,000 km. The local time of descending node is from 6 to 12. The combinations of the solar absorptivity and the infrared emissivity on the surface of the satellite in which the satellite satisfies the allowable temperature range, from 0 to 40 deg. C., are clarified for each of the above orbits. As the parameter of heat capacity of the satellite over one surface area of the satellite increases, the choice of combinations of the solar absorptivity and the infrared emissivity increases. The number of combinations in the case of the orbits without the shadow region is much larger than that with the shadow region. The number of combinations in the orbits without the shadow region increases with higher altitude and larger projected area with respect to the sun. The number of combinations in the orbits with the shadow region increases with higher altitude, larger projected area and smaller angle of the shadow region.

Heat Storage Material without Phase-change for Micro and Nano Satellite

“…Table 1 shows the specifications of the micro satellite used in a thermal analysis. The combinations of the solar absorptivity and the infrared emissivity which keep the temperature of the micro satellite within the allowable temperature range under the worst cold case and the worst hot case shown in Table 2 are calculated by means of a one-nodal analysis method 4) . …”