An analysis and procedure for determining space environmental sink temperatures with selected computational results

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the heat transfer problem posed by the determination of spacecraft temperatures and to incorporate the theoretically derived relationships into a computational code. Subject code is based on a theoretical analysis of thermal radiative equilibrium in space, particularly in the Solar System. Starting with the solar luminosity, the code takes into account a number of key variables, namely; the spacecraft-to-Sun distance expressed in AU (Astronomical Units), with, 1 AU representing the average Sun-to-Earth distance of 149.6 million km; the angle (degrees of arc) at which solar radiation is incident on a spacecraft surface, the temperature of which is to be determined (i.e., a radiator or PV (photovoltaic) array); the absorptivity-to-emissivity ratio of the surface, α/ε, with respect to solar radiation; and the view factor of the surface to space