Advanced Passive Thermal Control Materials and Devices for Spacecraft: A Review

Abstract In recent planetary exploration space missions, spacecraft are exposed to severe thermal environments that sometimes more extreme than those experienced in earth orbits. The development of advanced control materials and devices together with reliable accurate measurements their thermophysical properties needed for the systems designed meet engineering challenges associated these missions. We provide a comprehensive review state-of-the-art passive available applications, specifically, variable emissivity microelectromechanical (MEMS), radiofrequency (RF)-transparent and/or tunable solar absorptivity total hemispherical materials, re-deployable radiator insulation. Prior our in-depth we briefly summarize surrounding spacecraft, characteristics differ from ground use, significance space. all four topics devices, following subjects overviewed: basic principle techniques space, measurement novel simulation on-orbit verification performance tests, degradation tests environments, some aspects implementation above-described actual