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Nonlinear analysis of thermal behavior for a small satellite in Low Earth Orbit using many-node model

Chung Ngoc Pham 1, *
Anh Dong Nguyen 2
Hieu Nhu Nguyen 2
  1. Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mining and Geoology, Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
  2. Institute of Mechanics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 264 Doi Can Str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
Correspondence to: Chung Ngoc Pham, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mining and Geoology, Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam. Email: Nghiado@sci.edu.vn.
Volume & Issue: Vol. 20 No. K2 (2017) | Page No.: 66-76 | DOI: 10.32508/stdj.v20iK2.450
Published: 2017-06-30

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Copyright The Author(s) 2023. This article is published with open access by Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0) which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited. 

Abstract

In this paper, nonlinear thermal responses of a small satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are analyzed using many-node model. The main elements of primary structure of the satellite include six rectangular cover plates and a solar array linking with satellite's body. These elements can be modeled as different lumped thermal nodes. We use an eight-node model for estimating temperatures at nodal elements i.e. six nodes for cover plates, and two nodes for front and rear surfaces of the solar array. The nodes absorb three major heat energy sources from the space environment consisting of solar irradiation, Earth’s albedo and infrared radiation. The established system of thermal balance equations for nodes is nonlinear and is solved by a numerical algorithm. For simulation purpose, it is assumed that the satellite always remains Earth-pointing attitude during motion. Temperature evolutions of nodes in time are explored in details. The obtained results show that the predictive temperature values of nodes are within the allowable temperature limit range of the satellite.

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