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For the past three decades spacecraft thermal analysis has been predominantly performed using lumped parameter solvers such as ESATAN and SINDA. This paper reports on the development of algorithms which allow the automatic generation of ESATAN/SINDA input files from finite element models. These input files contain the conductive and radiative links together with the solar, planet and albedo heat fluxes. The use of these algorithms therefore provides the opportunity to reduce the time taken to generate ESATAN/SINDA files and to postprocess results easily using widely available packages. In addition it allows the incorporation of thermal analysis into the concurrent engineering practices which are now being introduced.

ESARAD is an integrated suite of analysis tools for thermal radiative analysis. The suite provides modules for: • Geometry Definition; • Calculation of view factor, radiative exchange factor and solar, albedo and planet flux results; •Visualization of models in orbit with pre- and post-processing of radiative and thermal results; • Reporting of all aspects of the model; and • Generation of Input Files for Thermal Analysis tools. ESARAD is driven by a fully developed GUI, providing the user with a simple, intuitive windows, menus, forms interface to all its features. A modern, block structured language can also be used to run ESARAD. This gives the advanced user great power and flexibility to perform the most complex analyses. ESARAD was designed and developed between 1988 and 1991 to replace the VWHEAT software used by ESA at that time.