Thermal Modeling of Small Satellites

Over the last few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of satellites in orbit. A significant portion of this increase is thanks to the smaller size of newer satellites. Although the largest orbiting structure, the International Space Station, is larger than a football field, most of the satellites in orbit today are much closer in size to a football. This is in part due to the popularity of the CubeSat form factor, with a so-called 1U satellite fitting within a 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm envelope. The small size makes it possible to launch multiple satellites from a single rocket. Although originally envisioned for mostly academic purposes, there is now a robust commercial ecosystem providing design solutions ranging from 1U to 24U — and the use of CubeSats is growing at a remarkable rate.