An innovative new method to cool spacecraft on long missions — technology that may one day play a crucial role in NASA’s quest to send astronauts to Mars and other deep-space destinations — has been successful in a long-term experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Developed by mechanical engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts, it uses electrically charged fluids to carry heat away from electronics and other heat-generating equipment.
With no moving parts, the system’s simplicity makes it an attractive option for long space missions.
Jamal Yagoobi at WPI said: “This is the first time ever for this type of cooling-pump technology in space, and the outcome has been very positive.
“This positions us well for the next phase of the work.” He and his team are now working on a more-complex system that is scheduled to be aboard the ISS in 2021.
Research on spacecraft cooling technology is critical for the future of space travel, since the combination of solar radiation and heat produced by electronic devices and humans in the spacecraft can lead to temperatures that, if unchecked, could harm astronauts and damage or even destroy electronics.
“When you’re in space, you can’t open the window and let the cold air come in and cool you off.
“As we move forward, a lot of electronics will be jammed into a very small area in a spacecraft or satellite, so we’re going to use a lot more advanced electronics and produce a lot more heat.
“That’s why we need to develop this technology. Whether it’s for travel to Mars or any other mission, you have to have cooling devices that are very effective, durable and non-mechanical, and which require minimal power to function.”