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The Capillary Pumped Loop Flight Experiment (CAPL) is a prototype of the Earth Observing System (EOS) instrument thermal control systems. Four CAPL flight hardware components were tested in the Instrument Thermal Test Bed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The components tested were the capillary cold plates, capillary starter pump, heat pipe heat exchangers (HPHXs), and reservoir. The testing verified that all components meet or exceed their individual performance specifications. Consequently, the components have been integrated into the CAPL experiment which will be flown on the Space Shuttle in late 1993.

In this paper, results of the NRL LHP experimental studies, conducted by Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, will be presented. Emphasis in this test program is to examine the “turnkey” startup of the NRL LHP and its operational characteristics. Series of tests were performed, including startup tests, power cycling tests, low power tests, and high power tests. The NRL LHP has demonstrated very robust operations throughout the tests. In addition, hysteresis was found at low power operations. Importance of the two-phase dynamics in the evaporator core is realized, which has shown significant effects on loop operations.