Alcatel Space Cannes has successfully designed, manufactured and ground tested a two-LHP lightweight and high performance deployable radiator (“DELPHRAD”) in the frame of a development program co-funded by ESA. DELPHRAD is a follow-up of the STENTOR deployable radiator flight experiment sponsored by CNES (“Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales”; French National Space Agency).
The STENTOR and DELPHRAD LHPs were designed, manufactured and delivered by EHP Nivelles (formerly SABCA Brussels).
DELPHRAD features significantly lower mass budget than that of STENTOR with slightly better thermal performance. The considerable mass improvement is achieved essentially by the direct condensation thermal concept and the use of corrugated flexible lines. Some technological innovations contribute to facilitate the deployable radiator thermal sub-system manufacturing and its integration in a satellite system. The achievements made on the thermal performance, radiator panel technology and deployment aspects are presented.
The deployable radiator ground testing was carried out in a 10m3 vacuum test chamber at Alcatel Space Cannes. Two test configurations (double sided and single sided deployable radiator) and several test sequences (one operating loop, two operating loops with uniform heat load and non-uniform heat load) were tested. These tests demonstrated high deployable radiator thermal performance in terms of heat rejection capabilities as well as thermal gradient between the evaporator interface and the radiator. Transient behaviors as loop start up, loop shut down, loop deprime, loop regulation and interaction with environmental heat leaks or gains were also evaluated.
The DELPHRAD deployable radiator was modelled with SINDA/FLUINT and the modelling results are in good agreement with the test results.