Performance Analysis of an Electrostatic Switched Radiator Using Heat-Flux-Based Emissivity Measurement

Abstract

The heat-flux-based emissivity measurement technique developed in our earlier work has been used to study the performance of an electrostatic switched radiator. The capability of fast and accurate measurement of the real-time changes in emissivity enabled by this technique allowed understanding of the transient behavior during activation, as well as identification of a major failure mode of the second-generation electrostatic radiator. A solution for resolution of this failure mode was then proposed and successfully tested, producing accurate and repeatable results over many cycles. A change in emissivity of 0.52 was achieved with 280 V applied, among the best consistent results achieved through electrostatic technology. The current work offers further understanding of electrostatic radiator performance and its application to space vehicles.