Deployable radiator having an increased view factor
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsNeil E. Goodzeit, Hamilton Wong, David J. Hentosh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A geostationary earth orbit (GEO) spacecraft is disclosed that includes a body with north, east, south, and west sides and a north-south axis. The spacecraft has at least one deployable radiator rotatably coupled to the body. The deployable radiator has a stowed position proximate to one of the east and west sides and a deployed position that is greater than 90 degrees from the north-south axis in a direction away from the respective one of the east and west sides.
Claims16
A geostationary earth orbit (GEO) spacecraft comprising:
- a body having north, east, south, and west sides and a north-south axis;
- and
- at least one deployable radiator rotatably coupled to the body, the at least one deployable radiator having a stowed position proximate to one of the east and west sides and a deployed position that is greater than 90 degrees from the north-south axis in a direction away from the respective one of the east and west sides.
A method for cooling an assembly of a spacecraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- thermally coupling the assembly to a first rigid portion of a flexible heat pipe that also has a second rigid portion that is thermally coupled to a deployable radiator coupled to a body of the spacecraft and a flexible portion coupled between the first and second rigid portions;
- positioning the deployable radiator in a stowed position that is proximate to one of an east or west side of the body of the spacecraft;
- placing the spacecraft in a geostationary earth orbit (GEO);
- and
- rotating the deployable radiator to a deployed position having an angle that is in the range of 90-180 degrees from a north-south axis of the body in a direction away from the stowed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.