Space Station Active Thermal Control Technical Considerations.

A description of recent and planned thermal control technology developments at the Johnson Space Center and the other NASA Centers in support of Space Stations will be presented. The program is centered around satisfying the needs of the users. Preliminary results of proof-of-concept high capacity heat pipes and two-phase devices will be included which indicate that large amounts of enercy (100 kw) can be transported long distances (50m) with very small temperature differences. The presentation will summarize preparations for an evolutionary test bed for advanced development of thermal technology which will provide data on components and systems fcr incorporation into the Space Station designs in the late 1980\u27s. The results of the recently flown Heat Pipe Experiment aboard STS-8 will be presented