Spacecraft and spacecraft radiator panels with composite face-sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9878808-B2
Application number	US-201514592609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2015
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A spacecraft, comprising:
a body;
two radiator panels of operatively coupled to the body opposite each other;
a first mount operatively coupled to the body;
a first communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by the first mount;
a second mount operatively coupled to the body and spaced apart from the first mount; and
a second communication device operatively coupled relative to the body by the second mount;
wherein each of the two radiator panels comprises:
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 constructed as a laminate of multiple plies, wherein the fiber reinforced composite material includes a first set of fibers and a second set of fibers, wherein the fibers of the first set differ from the fibers of the second set in at least one characteristic, wherein single plies of the multiple plies include fibers of the first set of fibers and fibers of the second set of fibers, wherein the first set of fibers includes fibers having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of −0.8-0 ppm/° F., wherein the second set of fibers includes fibers having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 2-3 ppm/° F., 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;
a honeycomb core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets; and
one or more heat pipes extending through the honeycomb core;

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 as a result of the temperature change; and
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 as a result of the dissipating heat.

2. The spacecraft 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 spacecraft 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 spacecraft 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 spacecraft 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 spacecraft 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 spacecraft 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.

8. The spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the fiber reinforced composite material includes a binding material that includes a thermal conductivity enhancer.

9. The spacecraft 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.

10. The spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein each of the two radiator panels, as a whole, has a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 0.25-4 ppm/° F. in a direction parallel to its respective inside face-sheet and its respective outside face-sheet.

11. The spacecraft of claim 1 ,
wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are electrically grounded to the two radiator panels.

12. The spacecraft of claim 1 , 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.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Aston Richard W
• Tomzynska Anna Maria

Classifications

• B64G1/506

  Heat pipes · CPC title

• F28F21/02

  of carbon, e.g. graphite · CPC title

• H05K7/20336

  Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps · CPC title

• B64G1/14

  Space shuttles {(reusable launch rockets B64G1/006)} · CPC title

• B64G1/503 Primary

  Radiator panels · CPC title