Experimental investigation of a passive deployable/stowable radiator

A passive deployable/stowable radiator, reversible thermal panel has been developed for thermal control of interplanetary spacecrafts. The reversible thermal panel can autonomously adapt to a wide variety of thermal environments with no electrical power. A reversible thermal panel prototype model was fabricated and extensive test programs including fin deployment/stowing tests, thermal performance tests, and vibration tests have been executed to validate that the reversible thermal panel prototype model can meet all the qualification requirements. Deployment/stowing tests have demonstrated repeatable reversible thermal panel fins deploy/stow from 0 to 140° over the temperature range from -30 to +30°C. Thermal performance tests, including thermal balance tests and power cycling tests, have shown reversible thermal panel's autonomous thermal control for changes in thermal conditions. The reversible thermal panel has also been subjected to qualification-level vibration loads and passed with no significant issues.