Thermal Straps
In spacecraft applications, heat must often be transferred from one part of the craft to another. A thermal strap is the easiest way to do this. In a thermal strap, multiple layers (usually 10 – 50) of thin, flexible graphite are stacked in a long strip with the ends bolted to the body of the spacecraft. The graphite thermal strap is a robust, permanent thermal solution with a lightweight form factor. Graphite thermal straps do not generate foreign object debris (FOD), which can damage the satellite during launch. The graphite does not outgas anything that can coat optical lenses or foul delicate sensors.
Thermal Interface Materials
Bare metal-to-metal contact is inefficient for moving heat from a hot surface to a heat sink. This is especially true in a vacuum application, where the micro gaps between the two metal surfaces act as an effective thermal insulation barrier. To solve this problem, thermal interface material is used. However, there are several additional requirements for spacecraft. The material must be lightweight, permanent, and cannot outgas anything that could coat optical lenses or interfere with sensors. HiTherm™ thermal interface material meets all of these demanding requirements. Already listed on the NASA outgassing database and in use in hundreds of satellites, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station, HiTherm thermal interface material is the number one choice for all types of spacecraft.
Thermal Radiators
Excessive heat is generated on many types of spacecraft. This ‘waste heat’ can interfere with the efficient operation of sensitive electronics, optics, and sensors. The most effective way to eliminate this waste heat is to first spread the heat from the heat generator to a large, heated surface and then shed it to space by the mechanism of thermal radiation. To spread the heat, large sheets of flexible graphite are used. Graphite is not only the best heat spreader available, but it is flexible and lightweight, allowing it to be rolled for launch and then unrolled once the spacecraft is in orbit. It can be coated to increase thermal radiation emissivity (Ɛ) to ≥ 0.9. Graphite is a permanent heat spreader that will not outgas, dry out, or wear out. It remains flexible and will not generate foreign object debris (FOD) during launch.
