High heat flux Enhanced Acquisition and Transport system for Small spacecraft

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.

Similarly to NASA unmanned missions, HEATS will be of interest to other Government spacecraft procuring agencies such as the Air Force, Navy, National Reconnaissance Office, and Operationally Responsive Space Office; as well as, prime contractor spacecraft developers such as ATK, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and Raytheon. In addition to satellite applications, HEATS will be valuable to thermal management applications where performance, size, and weight are important concerns. More »