A Comparison of Satellite Flight Temperatures with Thermal Balance Test Data

Flight temperatures were compared to thermal balance test correlation data for two spacecraft. Results show that locations that were correlated with ground test data did not necessarily have similar correlation with flight data. Thermal models that were correlated extremely well showed the tendency toward better flight correlation. Thermal model correlation was successful in eliminating large temperature discrepancies in flight and providing a necessary understanding of the thermal design. Furthermore, flight correlation data verified the importance of the continued use of an ±11°C thermal uncertainty margin in spacecraft thermal design.