STRUCTURE AND THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEM
Structure is the subsystem that provides inner and outer skeleton to satellite. The structure of the satellite supports the key components in desirable locations while giving them physical protection during ground handling, transportation, launch, and in-orbit operations. It is also responsible for providing an interface between the launch vehicle and the satellite. The structure is also responsible for maintaining proper thermal conditions for all the components to work properly.
Why do we need a well structured satellite?
· Structures must support a spacecraft’s key components in desirable location considering thermal control, fields of view for antennas and sensors and lengths and weights of cables. The stowed configuration must fit within the launch vehicle’s payload envelope, yet the design must provide access for installing and maintaining components.
· Structures should protect the spacecraft’s components from dynamic environments during ground operations, launch, deployment, and mission operations. They must deploy antennas, sensors and provide enough stiffness to keep them steady. But they must also stay light enough for the selected launch vehicle.
· Structural vibration must not interfere with the launch vehicle’s control system which must be able to differentiate between motion caused by a misaligned thrust vector and that resulting from booster vibration. Similarly, the spacecraft’s vibration in its deployed configuration must not interfere with its own control system.
· The material used must survive ground, launch, and on-orbit environments (time-varying applied force, pressure, humidity, radiation, contamination, thermal cycling and atomic particles) without rupturing; collapsing, excessively distorting, or contaminating critical components .They must also help control temperature.
What’s there in structure?
During this satellite project structures and thermal subsystem will evolve through these three phases:-
· Designing
o Design a satellite satisfying all required mechanical and thermal criteria
o Prepare a 3-D model of satellite
· Simulation
o Test your design model by simulating the launch conditions
o Simulate your model for space conditions
· Testing
o Test for verifying mechanical requirements
§ Environmental test
§ Control load test
o Functional test
o Test the thermal behavior of satellite
o Flight model testing
Structures and Thermal control is a field full of innovation with a large scope for new and untouched ideas. It’s a vast field to explore, the only thing required is enthusiasm and willingness to do and more importantly to learn.