Thermal design and Simulation of an attitude-varied Space Camera

An attitude-varied space camera changes attitude continually when it is working, its attitude changes with large angle in short time leads to the significant change of heat flux; Moreover, the complicated inner heat sources, other payloads and the satellite platform will also bring thermal coupling effects to the space camera. According to a space camera which is located on a two dimensional rotating platform, detailed thermal design is accomplished by means of thermal isolation, thermal transmission and temperature compensation, etc. Then the ultimate simulation cases of both high temperature and low temperature are chosen considering the obscuration of the satellite platform and other payloads, and also the heat flux analysis of light entrance and radiator surface of the camera. NEVEDA and SindaG are used to establish the simulation model of the camera and the analysis is carried out. The results indicate that, under both passive and active thermal control, the temperature of optical components is 20 +/- 1 degrees C, both their radial and axial temperature gradient are less than 0.3 degrees C, while the temperature of the main structural components is 20 +/- 2 degrees C, and the temperature fluctuation of the focal plane assemblies is 3.0-9.5 degrees C. The simulation shows that the thermal control system can meet the need of the mission, and the thermal design is efficient and reasonable.