Search Results

The intensive endeavor of the human, to do research work and to test in the low earth orbit, results in complex orbital platforms. These space based platforms are either permanent or retrievable. This is the case of the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA), a free-flying reusable platform that is launched and retrieved by the NSTS Orbiter. The first EURECA mission will be primarily a microgravity mission specifically for material processing and life science payloads. The thermal control system of EURECA has to ensure the correct environment for the carrier and the payload, throughout all mission phases, by means of passive and active means. The passive means consist of various multi-layer insulations, surface finishing, conducting straps. Electrical heaters work, in conjunction with the active cooling loop, to keep the spacecraft temperature at adequate level. The cooling loop consists of a single phase Freon 114 pumped loop, with two radiators in parallel.