ENVISAT-1 Satellite: System Aspects of Thermal Analysis and Modelling

The European Polar Platform is a remote sensing satellite with the primary objective in the ENVISAT-1 Payload configuration to monitor and study the earth and its environment. The platform thermal design is passive, assisted by heaters. The ENVISAT-1 Payload consists of several instruments which are responsible for their own thermal control and are required to be thermally decoupled from the platform.

ENVISAT-1 platform thermal analyses are performed at various levels:

• system
• module
• instrument
• unit/subassembly

The paper describes a typical system thermal analysis campaign in terms of:

• geometrical and mathematical models used
• configurations (e.g. stowed, deployed appendages) and attitudes (e.g. nominal, safe mode) analysed
• analysis content and results

Specific aspects of the system analyses are discussed e.g. complexity of system model which is an assembly of several models established by different companies. Major issues/problem areas and achievements related to the system analysis campaign supporting the ENVISAT-1 PDR are also presented. Finally the verification approach is outlined with particular emphasis on the thermal analysis aspects.