Clean condensate production may be produced from humidity in unfiltered air for an extended period of time using a membrane microgravity air conditioner which comprises an air box, comprising an inlet air flow path from a side face through an open top, and a filtering system disposed within the air box. The filtering system comprises one or more trash screens disposed in the inlet air flow path, one or more latent heat exchangers (LHX) disposed in the inlet air flow path, one or more particulate filters disposed in the inlet air flow path intermediate the trash screen and the LHX, one or more thermal control system (TCS) medium temperature loops, and one or more sensible heat exchangers (SHX) disposed in the inlet air flow path intermediate the particulate filter and the LHX.

Disclosed embodiments include a structurally integrated thermal management system that uses the structure of an aerospace vehicle as part of the heat dissipation system. In this system, structural elements of the aerospace vehicle function as a thermal bus, and are thermally connected with heat-generating electrical components, so that heat from those components is directed away from the component by the structure of the vehicle itself, into lower temperature surfaces of the vehicle.

Disclosed embodiments include a structurally integrated thermal management system that uses the structure of an aerospace vehicle as part of the heat dissipation system. In this system, structural elements of the aerospace vehicle function as a thermal bus, and are thermally connected with heat-generating electrical components, so that heat from those components is directed away from the component by the structure of the vehicle itself, into lower temperature surfaces of the vehicle.

A method for thermally stabilizing a communication satellite in orbit around the Earth relies on the discrete rotational symmetry of the pattern of antenna beams of the satellite. Exploiting the symmetry, the orientation of the satellite is changed from time to time by rotating the satellite through a symmetry angle of the rotational symmetry. Because of the symmetry, the beam pattern is unchanged after the rotation; but, because the rotation angle is less than 360°, a different side of the satellite is exposed to sunlight. The use of different thermal radiators and thermal shields on different sides of the satellite means that the thermal budget of the satellite is different after the rotation. By judiciously applying rotations as needed, as the orbit's orientation relative to the Sun evolves in time, it is possible to achieve effective control on the thermal budget of the satellite.

A method for thermally stabilizing a communication satellite in orbit around the Earth relies on the discrete rotational symmetry of the pattern of antenna beams of the satellite. Exploiting the symmetry, the orientation of the satellite is changed from time to time by rotating the satellite through a symmetry angle of the rotational symmetry. Because of the symmetry, the beam pattern is unchanged after the rotation; but, because the rotation angle is less than 360°, a different side of the satellite is exposed to sunlight. The use of different thermal radiators and thermal shields on different sides of the satellite means that the thermal budget of the satellite is different after the rotation. By judiciously applying rotations as needed, as the orbit's orientation relative to the Sun evolves in time, it is possible to achieve effective control on the thermal budget of the satellite.

A honeycomb sandwich structure includes a main body portion having a first skin material, a second skin material, and a honeycomb core sandwiched between the first skin material and the second skin material, and a thermoelectric conversion module that generates power using a temperature difference between a high temperature side module front surface and a low temperature side module rear surface. The thermoelectric conversion module is embedded in a main body portion such that at least one of the module front surface and the module rear surface is in a state being exposed from the main body portion, and as a result, a temperature difference is generated between the module front surface and the module rear surface.

An evaporator includes a housing with a first end and a longitudinally opposite second end, a hydrophobic membrane arranged within the housing fluidly coupling the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing, and a hydrophilic surface. The hydrophilic surface is arranged within the housing between the first end and the second end of the housing and is spaced apart from the hydrophobic membrane to draw liquid water away from the hydrophobic hollow fiber membrane. Spacesuits and environmental control methods are also described.

A method and apparatus provides cube-shaped satellite primary structures, each comprised of six identical, or nearly identical, rectangular truss panels and internal struts. The struts, all adjustable in length, connect, and are directed between all cube opposite corners and all cube opposite panel centers. All struts meet at the cube center where they attach rigidly to either a block called the “nucleus fitting” or to a hollow sphere. Each strut attaches to either a ball-socket corner fitting located at the interior corner of the cube, or to a ball-socket panel center fitting located at the panel center interior to the cube.

A method and apparatus provides cube-shaped satellite primary structures, each comprised of six identical, or nearly identical, rectangular truss panels and internal struts. The struts, all adjustable in length, connect, and are directed between all cube opposite corners and all cube opposite panel centers. All struts meet at the cube center where they attach rigidly to either a block called the “nucleus fitting” or to a hollow sphere. Each strut attaches to either a ball-socket corner fitting located at the interior corner of the cube, or to a ball-socket panel center fitting located at the panel center interior to the cube.

A cooling assembly includes walls extending around and defining an enclosed vapor chamber that holds a working fluid. An interior porous wick structure is disposed inside the chamber and lines interior surfaces of the walls. The wick structure includes pores that hold a liquid phase of the working fluid. The cooling assembly also includes an exterior porous wick structure lining exterior surfaces of the walls outside of the vapor chamber. The exterior wick structure includes pores that hold a liquid phase of a cooling fluid outside the vapor chamber. The interior wick structure holds the liquid working fluid until heat from an external heat source vaporizes the working fluid inside the vapor chamber. The exterior wick structure holds the liquid fluid outside the vapor chamber until heat from inside the vapor chamber vaporizes the liquid cooling fluid in the exterior wick structure for transferring heat away from the heat source.