Formation Autonomy Spacecraft with Thrust, Relative Navigation, Attitude and Crosslink program (FASTRAC) thermal vacuum test and thermal model

Thermal vacuum tests and thermal modeling are critical for satellite mission success. Thermal cycling and thermal soaking were done on the Formation Autonomy Spacecraft with Thrust, Relative Navigation, Attitude, and Crosslink Program (FASTRAC) satellites at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Texas. The data obtained from these tests were used to ensure that the thermal Finite Element Model of the satellite was accurate. The satellites proved their successful functioning in space simulating environments. These environments were simulated with a vacuum chamber. The chamber walls and base-plate were cooled with liquid nitrogen to imitate an eclipsed side of an orbit and its low temperatures. With heat lamps, the chamber was warmed to imitate a solar pass of an orbit. Finite Element Analysis was completed using ABAQUS, and MATLABAerospace Engineerin