Project Title:

Manned Lunar bases being considered by NASA will need to reject in excess of 25 kW of thermal power. Current state-of-the-art aluminum/ammonia heat pipe space radiator technology is too heavy and voluminous to be used for these future space missions. Accordingly there is a need for a revolutionary advanced space radiator system. This proposal outlines an effort to satisfy that need through the development of a multiple heat pipe radiating system that is extremely light weight. The radiators consist of a thin metallic liner with a composite carbon/epoxy material applied to it. The liner provides hermeticity and the composite provides resistance to bursting and collapse. These radiators are an improvement over existing designs in terms of both mass and durability. The work involves defining requirements, designing a radiator, fabricating several heat pipes, and conducting thermal performance and characterization tests.

  	  94-1	09.02	955id

  	  Manned Lunar bases being considered by NASA will need to 
  reject in 
  	  excess of 25 kW of thermal power. Current state-of-the-art 
  	  aluminum/ammonia heat pipe space radiator technology is too 
  heavy 
  	  and voluminous to be used for these future space missions. 
  	  Accordingly there is a need for a revolutionary advanced 
  space 
  	  radiator system. This proposal outlines an effort to satisfy 
  that 
  	  need through the development of a multiple heat pipe 
  radiating 
  	  system that is extremely light weight.
  	  The radiators consist of a thin metallic liner with a 
  composite 
  	  carbon/epoxy material applied to it. The liner provides 
  hermeticity 
  	  and the composite provides resistance to bursting and 
  collapse. 
  	  These radiators are an improvement over existing designs in 
  terms 
  	  of both mass and durability.
  	  The work involves defining requirements, designing a radiator, 
  	  fabricating several heat pipes, and conducting thermal performance 
  	  and characterization tests.

Abstract:

The potential for commercialization of a reduced weight heat 
rejection system will extend to NASA, military, and commercial 
spacecraft as well as for use on future lunar and planetary bases. 
A lightweight heat pipe radiator will have significant economic 
benefits due to the reduced launch payload weight and volume.
The composite tubing will have commercial applications which 
include process and transfer piping, cryogenic vessels, dual-
purpose structural members and improved heat exchangers.

Key Words

Thermacore, Inc.
780 Eden Road
Lancaster, PA 17601