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Feasibility and preliminary phases of space projects are aimed to answer to the very fundamental question whether a spacecraft (S/C) exists that can fulfil the mission objectives. In particular the thermal engineers must assess whether a possible configuration is feasible from the thermal point of view, or what modifications could make it suitable. The paper presents the Thermal Concept Design Tool (TCDT), a new software tool under development at Blue Engineering and Alenia Spazio for the European Space Agency (ESA), designed with the objective to assist the thermal engineers in reducing at minimum the effort required by simulation activities and focusing mainly on conceptual activities during feasibility and preliminary studies.

Stochastic method is being used in several domains for design optimisation, but its application to spacecraft thermal control design is not yet consolidated. The paper presents an assessment of this technique applied to spacecraft thermal control design, made by Blue Engineering and Alenia Spazio under ESA contract, with the objective to assess the applicability of the method, the requirements for its implementation, the effects on the design process.