Variable Gas-Conductance Radiator: Lightweight, High Turndown Spacecraft Radiator

Variable Gas Radiator? technology is a novel highly variable spacecraft radiator being developed for NASA to provide needed new technology for spacecraft thermal control for advanced spacecraft and missions demanding variable radiated heat control. A VGR prototype provided a turndown ratio 36:1, current spacecraft radiators offer a 4:1 turndown ratio, and VGR with further development should achieve at least 40:1 turndown capability. NASA in the SBIR 2017 solicitation sought unique solutions for thermal control technologies that facilitate a low mass highly reliable thermal control system for exploration vehicles and for science missions. Future spacecraft will require more sophisticated thermal control systems that operate in severe environments ranging from full sun to deep space and dissipate a wide range of heat loads. Potential NASA applications for this new technology include NASA Resource Prospector, CATALYST landers, cubesats, as well as comm sats. Variable heat radiators are an important enabling technology needed for NASA?s future exploration missions. For example, it is listed as needed for NASA Design Reference Missions (e.g., DRM8 and 9) which are crewed missions to Mars. VGR technology, if proved successful, could be infused into future NASA spacecraft, including manned spacecraft, robotic exploration vehicles, Earth observing satellites, science and interplanetary spacecraft.

Quest Thermal?s Variable Gas Radiator technology was proven feasible in a Phase I program, and could be further developed, tested and matured in a Phase II program to reach TRL 5. It might then be flight proven in a NASA Phase III test program or ISS experiment, reaching TRL 7. As the technology matures, Quest would reach out to satellite thermal engineers and thermal component (radiator) manufacturers to begin discussions on VGR. During the Phase II program, Quest will conduct market research on the spacecraft radiator/thermal control market using both internal staff and an external business development consultant. This market study is part of a Technology Assessment we will conduct, and should lead to customer responses to VGR, and direct leads at major spacecraft Prime Contractors. Major satellite manufacturers include Boeing Defense, Space and Security, SSL (Space Systems/Loral), Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Ball Aerospace, Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defense and Space. There are also spacecraft component specialty manufacturers that supply thermal control components such as radiators and heat pipes, and these include Orbital ATK, Lockheed Martin/Vought System and Sierra Nevada Corp. More »