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Through the development of 35 spaceflight payloads during the last ten years, BioServe Space Technologies has gained valuable practical experience in developing thermal control systems for the microgravity environment. Design constraints imposed by NASA, such as limited power availability, limited material selections, and limited acoustic emissions, coupled with the design constraints imposed by the functional requirements of each payload, impact spaceflight designs in a manner that requires a high degree of optimization. BioServe payloads typically employ thermoelectric coolers (TEC's), air and liquid heat exchangers, a variety of insulation materials, several types of fans and blowers, and various control strategies in order to achieve the desired thermal environment. In the present work methods of selecting thermal system components are discussed.

LoTEC© is a passive thermal carrier designed to maintain the temperature of biological samples for ten days or more for transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS) without the need of external power. LoTEC© relies on a combination of high thermal resistance insulation and high energy density storage phase change materials. The initial capability of LoTEC© encompasses several temperature ranges (e.g. 36 to 40C, 18 to 22C, 0 to 4C, and - 16 to -20C). LoTEC© fits into a standard mid-deck locker or an Express Rack locker; this facilitates easy transfer between the shuttle and the ISS. Thermal analysis modeling and laboratory test results are presented that characterize the performance of LoTEC© and the planned PCM materials.