High heat flux Enhanced Acquisition and Transport system for Small spacecraft

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.

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.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.