Passive thermally deployed shape-memory alloy heat-pipe radiators for high-intensity small spacecraft

The objective of this project is to develop passively self-deploying radiators that are embedded with vascular wicking heat pipe networks for thermal management of small spacecraft operating at power levels of 100s of watts. The radiator is made using additive manufacturing with nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloy using processes developed at Penn State University. Spanning the radiator panel surface, the wicking heat pipes distributes heat to be dissipated using liquid–vapor phase change. This phase change process is highly efficient at transferring heat with the capillary-driven liquid circulation for nearly isothermal heat rejection. The proposed radiator technology offers a larger deployed-to-stowed area ratios than other emerging solutions that would enable their application on CubeSats. Once the team a partial-scale prototype is constructed, it will be characterized in thermal–vacuum facilities at Penn State. The team will then produce a 90-W demonstration radiator that will be tested and validated in a cryogenic vacuum testing at GRC. There are plans for to submit a proposal to NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative to collaboratively demonstrate the partnered technology and radiator.

This innovative passive thermal control technology of self-deploying, additively manufactured radiators with integrated self-wicking heat pipes, would result in low a SWaP-C thermal solution for high-power-density small spacecraft operating at power levels up to100s of Watts. Mass-efficient, deployable radiators that expand from small, stowed footprints to large heat rejection surfaces can greatly enhance the ability of a robust small spacecraft producing a combined heat rejection loads up to 100 Watts.

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