Peregrine Falcon Corporation — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z2

Description

Peregrine will use proven technologies drawn together to provide the autonomous and variable radiator-based technology sought by NASA for use on the moon to operate in sunlight at 375 K and also to turn down its performance when in the shadow regions at temperatures near 90 K. This proposed innovation will also meet low mass goals below 5.4 kg/msup2;. This is a solid-state device that requires no external power for operation, it is built from proven and reliable processes and materials with heritage. This innovative autonomous variable radiator provides a real-world solution to lunar thermal control. Peregrine will rely upon its proprietary technology and decades of experience in spacecraft thermal management to design, simulate, verify, build and qualify an advanced variable radiator based upon the use of: 1.) The use of a cryogenic compressor (a diffusion pump-based design) that will allow the radiator to self-switch from full sun operation to shadow region operation autonomously without the use of power, 2.) A high thermal conductivity material (thermal pyrolytic graphite) with over 1,600 W/mK in thermal conductivity to uniformly spread thermal loads, and 3.) The use of well proven metal materials and designs to encapsulate the thermal pyrolytic graphite and cryogenic compressor for autonomous operation. These few elements are all that are necessary in order to provide autonomous variable operation from full sunlight to darkness. This proposed innovation has no moving parts which, leads to high reliability, high performance, no power requirements, and low weight.nbsp;