Thermophysical Properties of Eleven Thermal Control Materials Related to Processing Conditions and Microstructure for Spacecraft

Laser flash method, thin plate steady state method and ice calorimetry for measuring thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity and specific heat were established. The thermophysical properties related to microstructure of eleven thermal control materials for spacecraft were also studied experimentally. The results show that the thermal conductivity of thermal insulation materials and thermal protective materials increases with temperature increasing. The effective thermal conductivity of porous insulation materials is influenced by conductive factor, convective factor and radiation factor, and there is an optimum density with the minimum thermal conductivity. Consequently the results provide scientific criteria for thermal control materials selection and important data for spacecraft thermal design.