Thermal design and analysis of a nanosatellite in low earth orbit

Abstract

a b s t r a c tIn this paper, we present the process and the results of the thermal analysis applied to a nanosatellite developed at Politecnico di Torino. First, main mission parameters and the spacecraft design are presented, in order to fix the boundary conditions and the thermal environment used for the analysis. Then, the thermal model built to solve the thermal balance problem is described into details, and the numerical simulation code is presented. Finally, results are given and discussed in depth. The tool developed provides excellent modelling capabilities and temperature distributions have been validated through commercial software.The analysis has been used to refine the spacecraft configuration and to set the requirements applicable to the thermal control system of the satellite. The results showed that a basically passive control is sufficient to maintain most spacecraft's components within their temperature range when appropriate thermal coatings and/or tapes are provided. However, heaters to warm up batteries are recommended to survive coldest conditions.

Thermal Numerical Analysis of the Primary Composite Structure of a CubeSat

“…However, for the worst cold orbit (β = 0 • ) the minimum temperature reached is very close to the lowest operational limit of the battery pack (−18 • C) and additional thermal control system must be incorporated to the CubeSat design. It is important to note that the hottest temperatures and temperature gradients between the panels reached by the CubeSat are higher than the temperatures for the aluminum structures computed (see Figure 9 and reported in the literature [1,12,15]. The main reason is the lower thermal conductivity of the composite material that reduces the heat transfer in the structure of the CubeSat and increases the temperature gradients between the panels.…”

“…A time dependent heat transfer model was implemented in ANSYS 19 [33]. The mathematical model is based on the energy conservation equation [1]:…”

“…A single unit (U) CubeSat is a satellite with 10 × 10 × 10 cm dimensions and mass up to 1.33 kg. These space platforms have two main advantages, lower cost, time of design and manufacturing development compared with the traditional systems [1]. Nevertheless, weight restrictions are one of the most critical issues during the design process of a CubeSat.…”

“…The CubeSat design development requires predicting the temperature ranges of the CubeSat structure at the space environmental conditions in order to evaluate whether or not the electronic devices and payload remain into their operational and safety limits [1]. In Reference [12], the authors presented a thermal analysis for the STEP Cube Lab (Cube Laboratory for Space Technology Experimental Projects), a CubeSat framework for educational purposes.…”

On-Orbit Thermal Design and Validation of 1 U Standardized CubeSat of STEP Cube Lab

“…This thermal design also employed a passive approach through use of black paint as a surface treatment [8]. Corpino et al [9] developed a thermal analysis code to solve the thermal energy balance of a nanosatellite in low earth orbit (LEO) through a finite difference numerical approach. Escobar et al [10] proposed a technique for the automatic design of a CubeSat thermal control system using a genetic algorithm that could be utilized for material layout of passive thermal control.…”