METHOD OF SPACECRAFT THERMAL VACUUM TESTING Russian patent published in 2020 - IPC B64G7/00 

FIELD: test technology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to ground tests of spacecrafts (SC), which body is made with side facets from honeycomb panels (HP), containing axial (vertical) and horizontal collector heat pipes. HP has heat equivalents or standard SC devices. In the first mode, in lower HP zones bench heaters switch on with total heat release (HR) equal to standard HR of devices of the corresponding HP. Instruments are not switched on. In the second mode, power of HP heaters is increased to double total HR of devices of these HP. At the same time test bench coolers are used to absorb HR of bench heaters. By adjusting loads of heaters and coolers, the HP average temperatures are matched in both modes. Then, instruments with standard HR installed on HP are switched on and HR of bench heaters are simultaneously reduced to standard HR of devices. Said control of supply and removal of heat from HP makes it possible to stabilize operation of axial heat pipes under conditions of gravitation.

EFFECT: technical result consists in ensuring the required reliability of SC tests with simultaneous reduction of costs for their performance.

1 cl, 2 dwg