SBIR/STTR
High heat flux Enhanced Acquisition and Transport system for Small spacecraft, Phase I
Project Introduction
Future small-spacecraft thermal engineers and integrators will contend with increasing spacecraft power and temperature variations resulting from challenging new missions in extreme environments. The LoadPath High heat flux Enhanced Acquisition and Transport system for Small spacecraft (HEATS) is an innovative, passive, two-phase thermal transport system that will help realize these missions of tomorrow. Unlike state-of-the-art thermal transport systems (e.g. heat pipes and loop heat pipes), our approach can mitigate higher heat loads and fluxes at a lower cost and mass while adapting to a wider-range of heat source/sink configurations.
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Anticipated Benefits
Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The immediate targeted NASA applications are enabling smaller and lower cost spacecraft capable of conducting valuable scientific measurements with reduced mass and costs. Early development will also target exploration missions that are at or near the surface of planets such as Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. HEATS will facilitate these applications because of is high heat load and flux mitigation, ability to maintain components within a specified temperature range, adaptability and reconfigurability to new missions or a wide-range of heat source/sink configurations, low system cost, and low mass. The proposed technology impacts a broad array of NASA missions because it will benefit most, if not all, unmanned NASA missions requiring TCS design. The National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board identified NASA's top technical challenges and highest priority technologies across all 14 NASA space technology roadmaps. Based on their study, thermal control systems are a key, enabling technology that contributes to the advancement of many of the top technical challenges and the highest priority technologies.
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Greenbelt, Maryland |
| LoadPath | Supporting Organization | Industry | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
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Organizational Responsibility
Responsible Mission Directorate:
- Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Lead Center / Facility:
- Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
Responsible Program:
- SBIR/STTR
Project Management
Program Director:
Program Manager:
Principal Investigator:
Project Duration
Start: Jun 2015
End: Dec 2015
Technology Maturity (TRL)
| Start: | 3 |
| Current: | 4 |
| Estimated End: | 4 |
Applied Research
Development
Demo & Test
Technology Areas
Primary:
- TX14 Thermal Management Systems
- TX14.2 Thermal Control Components and Systems
- TX14.2.3 Heat Rejection and Storage
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