7.2 Subsystem Responsibilities

The thermal control system is responsible for:

• Maintain the spacecraft’s components within a required range.
• Controlling or designing for the thermal interaction with the space environment
• Flight software and/or electronics are usually responsible for sampling temperature sensors throughout the spacecraft to ensure spacecraft components are within a required range
• Reject heat to space or absorb it, as necessary
• Control the temperature of spacecraft and its components by directing the flow of thermal energy toward/away from components through conduction and radiation:
  • Transporting, displacing, and collecting heat to a radiating device
  • Dissipating excess heat (typically passive radiators)
  • Cooling down certain components (e.g., instruments)
  • Heating up or storing heat onto certain components (e.g. sometimes batteries)

The thermal control system specialist:

• Collates thermal sensitivities and required temperature ranges of all spacecraft components.
• Selects components and locations to attach temperature sensors onto to monitor the health of these components and the temperature profile of the entire spacecraft.
• Models the temperature of the S/C profile of the spacecraft within a space environment
• Conducts analysis on a finite Autocad model to ensure all components remain within a cycle that is safe, operable thermal range
• Produces thermal control algorithms or policies for active thermal control systems
• Minimize complexity, maximize reliability and minimize the use of resources like electrical power and mass