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The Smart Radiation Device (SRD) decreases the temperature variation by changing its emissivity depending on the temperature. The first generation of the SRD has been demonstrated on the MUSES-C ‘HAYABUSA’ spacecraft launched on May 9th 2003. This new thermal control device reduces the energy consumption of the on-board heater, and decreases the weight and the cost of the thermal control system. With the opportunity to validate the SRD in space, lightweight and low cost thermal control devices offer a possibility for flexible thermal control on interplanetary spacecraft.

We are developing a wireless multi-channel measurement system in order to measure temperatures during thermal vacuum tests of spacecraft, accelerations during vibration tests, etc. As a developing measurement system, we introduce the prototype model of the wireless temperature measurement system. The temperature data are transmitted to the data logger by radio instead of thermocouple wires, thus it will be easier to prepare thermal vacuum tests, and the test system will become very simple. Details of the system configuration, its specification and performance are presented.

The Smart Radiation Device (SRD) is a new thermal control material that decreases the temperature variation by changing the emissivity without using electrical instruments or mechanical parts. The emissivity of the SRD changes physically depending on its temperatures. Bonded only to the external surface of the spacecrafts, the SRD controls the temperature. The drawback of the SRD is the high solar absorptance. The multi-layer film for SRD was designed in order to decrease the solar absorptance from 0.81 to less than 0.2 by putting multi-layer film on it and the optical performance of the Smart Radiation Device with Multi-layer film (SRDM) was evaluated.