Thermal control device on board a spacecraft

A thermal control device intended to remove the heat generated by heat dissipating equipment on a spacecraft comprising a number of surfaces and including:

• means for circulating a refrigerant;
• an evaporation zone comprising means for circulating the refrigerant;
• a compression zone;
• a condensation zone comprising at least one radiating panel, each radiating panel comprising at least two parts, each part of the radiating panel linked to several parallel U-shaped hydraulic branches of the means for circulating the refrigerant, some of the hydraulic branches within each part of the radiating panels comprising means to allow or inhibit the circulation of said refrigerant within said some of the hydraulic branches so as to vary the area of the heat exchange surface of each panel in the condensation zone;
• and
• a pressure reduction zone comprising means for circulating the refrigerant.