Spacecraft and spacecraft radiator panels with composite face-sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200459-A1
Application number	US-201514592609-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Radiator panels include two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet that are constructed of a fiber reinforced composite material, a honeycomb core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets, and one or more heat pipes extending through the honeycomb core. Spacecraft include a body and two radiator panels operatively coupled to the body opposite each other.

First claim

1 . A radiator panel for a spacecraft, the radiator panel comprising:
two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet, wherein the two spaced-apart face-sheets are constructed of a fiber reinforced composite material, wherein the fiber reinforced composite material includes a first set of fibers and a second set of fibers, and wherein the fibers of the first set differ from the fibers of the second set in at least one characteristic; a honeycomb core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets; and one or more heat pipes extending through the honeycomb core.

2 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fibers includes fibers having a first average diameter, wherein the second set of fibers includes fibers having a second average diameter, and wherein the second average diameter is at least 8 times the first average diameter.

3 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fibers includes fibers having a first average diameter, wherein the second set of fibers includes fibers having a second average diameter that is different than the first average diameter, wherein the first average diameter is in the range of 5-20 μm, and wherein the second average diameter is in the range of 50-200 μm.

4 . The radiator panel of any claim 1 , wherein the first set of fibers comprises carbon fibers, and wherein the second set of fibers comprises boron fibers.

5 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a total number of the first set of fibers to a total number of the second set of fibers is in the range of 100-500.

6 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein within a single ply of the fiber reinforced composite material, fibers of the first set are spaced apart on average in the range of 0-30 μm, and wherein within the single ply of the fiber reinforced composite material, fibers of the second set are spaced apart in the range of 50-200 μm.

7 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fibers includes fibers having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of −0.8-0 ppm/° F., and wherein the second set of fibers includes fibers having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 2-3 ppm/° F.

8 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fibers includes fibers having a thermal conductivity in the range of 75-1100 W/m-K, and wherein the second set of fibers includes fibers having a thermal conductivity in the range of 25-400 W/m-K.

9 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fibers includes fibers having a tension strength in the range of 400-800 ksi, and wherein the second set of fibers includes fibers having a tension strength in the range of 500-600 ksi.

10 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the fiber reinforced composite material includes a binding material that includes a thermal conductivity enhancer.

11 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the radiator panel, as a whole, has a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 0.5-13 ppm/° F. across its thickness.

12 . The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the radiator panel, as a whole, has a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 0.25-4 ppm/° F. in a direction parallel to the inside face-sheet and the outside face-sheet.

13 . A spacecraft, comprising:
a body; two radiator panels of claim 1 operatively coupled to the body opposite each other; a first communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by a first mount; and a second communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by a second mount; wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are electrically grounded to the two radiator panels.

14 . A spacecraft, comprising:
a body; two radiator panels of claim 1 operatively coupled to the body opposite each other; a first communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by a first mount; and a second communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by a second mount; wherein when one or both of the two radiator panels is subject to a temperature change between a minimum temperature and a maximum temperature in the range of −20-80° C., the first mount moves relative to the second mount by less than 0.08 degrees.

15 . The spacecraft of claim 14 , wherein the first communication device includes an antenna feed, wherein the second communication device includes an antenna reflector, and wherein the antenna feed is pointed at the antenna reflector.

16 . A spacecraft, comprising:
a body; two radiator panels of claim 1 operatively coupled to the body opposite each other; a first communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by a first mount; and a second communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by a second mount; wherein when one or both of the radiator panels begins dissipating heat at a rate in the range of 500-2500 Watts, the first mount moves relative to the second mount by less than 0.08 degrees.

17 . The spacecraft of claim 16 , wherein the first communication device includes an antenna feed, wherein the second communication device includes an antenna reflector, and wherein the antenna feed is pointed at the antenna reflector.

18 . A spacecraft, comprising:
a body; two radiator panels operatively coupled to the body opposite each other, wherein each radiator panel includes:
two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet, wherein the two spaced-apart face-sheets are constructed of a fiber reinforced composite material, wherein the fiber reinforced composite material includes carbon fibers and boron fibers, wherein the carbon fibers have an average diameter in the range of 5-20 μm, wherein the boron fibers have an average diameter in the range of 50-200 μm, and wherein within a single ply of the fiber reinforced composite material, the carbon fibers are spaced apart on average in the range of 0-30 μm and the boron fibers are spaced apart in the range of 50-200 μm;
a honeycomb core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets, wherein the honeycomb core is constructed of aluminum; and
one or more heat pipes extending through the honeycomb core, wherein the one or more heat pipes are constructed of aluminum;
an antenna reflector coupled relative to the body by a first mount, wherein the antenna reflector is electrically grounded to the two radiator panels; and an antenna feed coupled relative to the body by a second mount and pointed at the antenna reflector, wherein the antenna feed is electrically grounded to the two radiator panels.

19 . A method of assembling a radiator panel for a spacecraft, the method comprising:
operatively coupling an inside face-sheet to a honeycomb core; operatively coupling an outside face-sheet to the honeycomb core opposite the inside face-sheet; and operatively positioning one or more heat pipes between the inside face-sheet and the outside face-sheet; wherein the inside face-sheet and the outside face-sheet are constructed of a fiber reinforced composite material, wherein the fiber reinforced composite material includes a first set of fibers and a second set of fibers, and wherein the fibers of the first set differ from the fibers of the second set in at least one characteristic.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Aston Richard W
• Tomzynska Anna Maria

Classifications

• B64G1/506

  Heat pipes · CPC title

• H05K7/2039

  characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body (arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00) · CPC title

• F28D15/0275

  Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores · CPC title

• B23P15/26

  heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} · CPC title

• B64G1/503 Primary

  Radiator panels · CPC title