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Thermal design, analysis, and testing of the first Turkish 3U communication CubeSat in low earth orbit

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Abstract

TURKSAT-3USAT is the first Turkish communication 3U CubeSat designed and built by the students of the Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory and Radio Frequency Electronics Laboratory of Istanbul Technical University (ITU). Students partnered with TURKSAT, A.S. Company as well as the Turkish Amateur Technology Organization, when creating the design. The payload of TURKSAT-3USAT, having dimensions of 10 × 10 × 34 cm3, is an amateur band VHF/UHF transponder that will be used for voice communication. In this study, a thermal control system of TURKSAT-3USAT at 680 km altitude was presented. TURKSAT-3USAT used both passive and active thermal control. The thermal model of CubeSat was constructed and analyzed using ThermXL and ESATAN-TMS thermal analysis tools. The temperature results showed that all electronic components were within their allowed temperature range, except the batteries. For batteries, heaters are recommended during the cold case condition. Thermal cycling and bake-out testing were carried out on the flight model in a thermal vacuum chamber.

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Abbreviations

A p :

Projected area (m2)

C ji :

Conductive couplings (W K−1)

C pi :

The specific heat (J kg−1 K−1)

dT/dt :

Temperature derivative with respect to time

F sat-earth :

View factor from the satellite to the Earth

f a :

Albedo factor

G :

Earth radiation flux (W m−2)

M :

The mass of the node (kg)

R ji :

Radiative couplings (W K−1)

Q :

Heat rate or heat input (W)

Q albedo :

Albedo radiation (W)

Q EarthIR :

Earth IR radiation (W)

Q i d :

Internal dissipation (W)

Q in :

Internal heat input (W)

Q out :

Outer heat input (W)

Q sun :

Solar radiation (W)

S :

Solar constant (W m−2)

T :

Temperature (K or °C)

T i :

Temperature location; node; inner (K or °C)

T jr :

Temperature from node, body, or surface j to node, body, or surface r (K or °C)

T jk :

Temperature from node, body, or surface j to node, body, or surface k (K or °C)

t :

Time (s

αs :

Absorptance of external surfaces

ε:

Emittance of external surfaces

θ :

The angle of the satellite position with respect to the zenith

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks to Sheila Christopher-Gokkaya for revising the whole manuscript.

Funding

The project is fully supported by TURKSAT, A.S. in Ankara, Turkey.

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  1. Turksat Satellite Communication Cable TV and Operations Joints Stock Co., Konya yolu 40.km, Golbasi, Ankara, 06830, Turkey

    Murat Bulut

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Bulut, M. Thermal design, analysis, and testing of the first Turkish 3U communication CubeSat in low earth orbit. J Therm Anal Calorim 143, 4341–4353 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-021-10566-z

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