Lightweight Flexible Thermal Energy Management Panels for CubeSats

In response to significant gaps in advanced thermal control systems onboard CubeSats and SmallSats, and building off of the successful development of space-based FlexCoolTM two-phase thermal straps for CubeSats by its affiliated company i2C Solutions, Roccor proposes to develop a comprehensive thermal management component by adding a phase change material (PCM) thermal energy storage (TES) layer to the thin, flexible, high conductivity FlexCool thermal strap technology. The resulting Flexible Thermal Energy Management, (FlexTherm) product is a single thin flexible component that integrates easily into CubeSat geometries, operates reliably in vacuum, and efficiently serves thermal acquisition, transport, rejection and thermal energy storage functions with a minimum size and volume. To that end, the main objective of the proposed Phase I program is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of integrating PCMs with FlexCool, a thin, flat, flexible heat pipe technology whose feasibility was previously demonstrated for operation in the space environment. The PCM layer will include paraffin waxes as the matrix material inside a metal casing with an internal metal woven mesh. The internal mesh acts as a mechanical load bearing layer, as well as thermal conductivity enhancement material to spread heat into the TES materia

The primary NASA target application for the proposed space-rated PCM panel technology is future NASA CubeSat and SmallSat spacecraft for which thermal control of on-board electronics is a major bottleneck in the system design. In particular, the proposed technology will enable efficient thermal control by maintaining a constant temperature heat sink or heat source for a range of electronic components in rapidly changing thermal environments. The PCM panel is being designed as a lightweight and flexible component, yet having high thermal capacity, requiring less mass and volume than currently used carbon-fiber and aluminum honeycomb composite panels.

Industry estimates of the small satellite market forecast a significant growth in the segment of nano-micro satellites (i.e., between 1 through 50 kg of weight) during the next few years. Roccor?s FlexTherm products will be developed with the goal of being off-the-shelf components, available for the growing market of small and CubeSats, beyond NASA missions.

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