Patent — available for licensing
Silicon Oxide Coated Aluminized Polyimide Film Radiator Coating
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
A miniature satellite, or CubeSat, has deployable solar arrays and/or body mounted solar cells to generate adequate electrical power to meet mission power requirements. The CubeSat’s internal components dissipate heat. In order to maintain the component temperatures within allowable flight limits, the waste heat needs to be radiated from its exterior to deep space. Depending on the orbit parameters, one or more of the exterior surfaces could be exposed to sunlight, planet albedo (reflection of solar radiation from Earth), or infrared radiative flux. Additionally, lithium ion batteries, often used on CubeSats, are required to be above 0 °C during charging. Conventionally, a combination of radiator thermal coatings, multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets, and active heater control are used to meet component thermal requirements, which are all relatively expensive. Furthermore, MLI blankets not only increase the volume of the CubeSat, but also increase the risk of entanglement during solar array deployment. The SiOx Coated Aluminized Polyimide Film Radiator Coating regulates temperature for CubeSats without these drawbacks.