Syllabus

Introduction Spacecraft Thermal Control: need of spacecraft thermal control – temperature specification – energy balance in a spacecraft – modes of heat transfer – factors that influence energy balance in a spacecraft – principles of spacecraft thermal control.

Spacecraft Thermal Analysis: formulation of energy – momentum and continuity equations for problems in spacecraft heat transfer – development of discretized equation – treatment of radiative heat exchange (for non-participative media based on radiosity and Gebhart method) – incorporation of environmental heat flux in energy equation – numerical solution methods – input parameters required for analysis.

Spacecraft Thermal Environments: launch and ascent – earth bound orbits – interplanetary mission and reentry mission.

Devices and Hardware for Spacecraft TCS (Principles & Operation): passive thermal control - mechanical joints – heat sinks and doublers – phase change materials – thermal louvers and switches – heat pipes – thermal coating materials – thermal insulation – ablative heat transfer – active thermal control techniques: electrical heaters, HPR fluid systems, space borne cooling systems.

Design and Analysis of Spacecraft: application of principles described above for development
of spacecraft TCS.