A spacecraft (10), comprising a body (12), a solar array (30) with a support panel (32) which is connected to the body, and a thermal radiator (50) that is connected to the body and which includes a radiator substrate (52) that is thermally coupled to the body via at least one heat link (64). The solar array and thermal radiator are configured to be transitioned from a stowed state wherein the support panel and the radiator substrate are held fixed in an overlapping arrangement along and near the body, to a deployed state wherein the solar array is unfolded with the support panel positioned at a distance from the body and the radiator substrate is folded away from the body and the solar array. Preferably, the solar array and thermal radiator are flexible, to allow them to be kept in an overlapping and temporarily bent shape in the stowed state.

A heat transfer device is disclosed having a housing including a first main wall and a second main wall, the housing having a sealed internal cavity, a liquid contained in the internal cavity, and a mixer able to set the liquid in motion, the heat transfer device being able to be switched between a first state and a second state in which the liquid is in motion and transfers heat by convection between the first main wall and the second main wall, the thermal conductance between the first main wall and the second main wall in the first state being four times less than the thermal conductance between the first main wall and the second main wall in the second state.

A heat pipe has an evaporator portion, a condenser portion, and at least one flexible portion that is sealingly coupled between the evaporator portion and the condenser portion. The flexible portion has a flexible tube and a flexible separator plate held in place within the flexible tube so as to divide the flexible tube into a gas-phase passage and a liquid-phase artery. The separator plate and flexible tube are configured such that the flexible portion is flexible in a plane that is perpendicular to the separator plate.

A self-contained payload module and method of deployment of a payload includes a housing that is configured to engage a propulsive payload adapter hub, at least one deployable payload that is arranged in an interior cavity of the housing and deployable using the propulsive payload adaptor hub, a payload electronics system arranged in the interior cavity, a thermal control system in communication with the at least one payload and arranged in the housing, and at least one antenna that is arranged on the housing and configured for wideband communication.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for dual condenser loop heat pipes for satellites with sun-normal radiators are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a disclosed method for a satellite thermal management system comprises heating, in an evaporator, a liquid to convert the liquid to a vapor. The method further comprises passively circulating within tubing, from the evaporator, the vapor to a first radiator not illuminated by a sun and to a second radiator illuminated by the sun. Also, the method comprises converting the vapor to the liquid when the vapor is within the first radiator not illuminated by the sun. Further, the method comprises passively circulating within the tubing, from the first radiator not illuminated by the sun, the liquid to the evaporator.

Methods and apparatus to methods and apparatus for performing propulsion operations using electric propulsion system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes means to use an electric propulsion system coupled to a frame of a spacecraft, the electric propulsion system including at least a first thruster and a second thruster, the first thruster adjacent a first side of the frame, the second thruster adjacent a second side of the frame, and means to allow at least one of the first thruster or the second thruster to control the spacecraft without using a chemical propulsion system.

Deployable radiator devices, systems, and methods utilizing composite laminates are provide in accordance with various embodiments. For example, some embodiments include a deployable radiator system. The system may include one or more radiators and one or more thermally-conductive, bendable hinges. Each respective thermally-conductive, bendable hinge from the one or more thermally-conductive, bendable hinges may be coupled with a respective radiator from the one or more radiators. Each respective thermally-conductive, bendable hinge from the one or more thermally-conductive, bendable hinges may be configured to conduct heat to the respective radiator from the one or more radiators. Some embodiments include one or more heat pipes, which may be flat. Some embodiments include heat pipes with vapor channels and liquid channels configured in a same plane of the heat pipe. Methods of utilizing the systems and/or devices may be also provided.

A method to improve thermal performance of vascular composites by using a two-phase working fluid for isothermalization includes the steps of: manufacturing a vascular composite structure optimized for a design point; manufacturing a thermal back end sized for the application; integrating the vascular composite into a fluid loop; and evacuating and filling the fluid loop with working fluid to an amount resulting in two-phase operation at the design point.

Disclosed is a heat exchange device for effecting a heat exchange between a heat transfer fluid of a first network of capillary heat pipes and a heat transfer fluid of a second network of capillary heat pipes. The heat exchange device includes a solid block provided with a first channel and a second channel which are independent of one another, the first channel having at least one opening intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe of the first network, the second channel having at least one opening intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe of the second network, the first channel having a portion which lies near a portion of the second channel such that the heat transfer fluid of the first network is able to exchange heat with the heat transfer fluid of the second network via the heat exchanging portions.

Disclosed is a spacecraft including a casing having a face, a radiator borne by the face, and a thermal insulation device borne by the radiator. The thermal insulation device includes: a first screen device able to cover a first zone of the radiator, the first screen device including a thermally insulating and flexible sheet, and at least two springs capable of producing a constant reaction force, the springs being preformed in such a way as to wind up on themselves at rest and being fixed to the insulating sheet, the springs each having an end fixed to the radiator and a free end; anda traction device able to pull on the free end of the springs to make the sheet cover the first zone and to release the free end in order to expose the first zone to space.