Transverse flat plate heat pipe experiment

Abstract

This paper describes a Shuttle-launched flight experiment to evaluate the performance of a transverse flat plate heat pipe that serves as an integral temperature control/mounting panel for electronic equipment. A transverse heat pipe is a gas-controlled variable conductance heat pipe that can handle relatively large thermal loads. An experiment designed to flight test the concept over a 6-9 month period is self-sufficient with respect to electrical power, timing sequences, and data storage.