Thermal Control Design Aspects of Columbus Pressurised Modules

Columbus Pressurised Modules (APM permanently attached to Space Station Freedom and MTFF free flyer) will support the scientific experiments and commercial space exploitation requiring manned interaction and intervention (APM) or infrequent servicing/resupply by flight crew (MTFF) in a low gravity environment.

This paper is based on the activities performed during the early stages of Columbus Phase C/D and presents:

• the Active Thermal Control design solutions including the architecture of the fluid loops, the fluid loops monitoring and control philosophy and the fluid loops components and design features;
• the Passive Thermal Control design solutions including MLI, anticondensation, heaters concept and thermo-optical properties selection.