Public Funding for Smartir Limited

Satellites face numerous technological challenges due to the extreme temperature variations they experience while orbiting the Earth. These temperature fluctuations pose a significant risk to the delicate electronic and optical systems within the satellite, as overheating or overcooling can cause catastrophic damage. To maintain thermal stability, a satellite's heat controller must balance venting the internal heat generated by onboard systems with insulating the craft from solar radiation and continuously radiating the heat. This task is particularly challenging since thermal radiation is the only means to dissipate excess heat from the satellite. The sun-facing side of a satellite can be up to +200°C hotter than the side exposed to the cold vacuum of space, resulting in a rapid temperature change of >200°C when the satellite enters Earth's shadow. Traditional temperature control systems, such as passive radiators, are designed to reflect solar radiation and emit infrared light through thermal radiation. However, these radiators cannot be switched off or adjusted according to the satellite's position relative to the Earth and the Sun. This limitation can lead to rapid cooling of internal systems and components when the satellite enters Earth's shadow, causing temperature-induced stress and damage to delicate electronics. Engineers utilize large but delicate solar shields, bulky thermal louvres, heat pipes, and heaters to manage these temperature extremes. However, these thermal control systems are not only heavy but also consume a significant amount of available power. This increased weight and power consumption reduce the payload capacity and overall efficiency of the satellite. An ideal thermal control system would adapt to changing thermal conditions in real-time, maintaining optimal temperatures for the satellite's electronic systems and components. By modulating its heat dissipation capabilities based on the satellite's position, an innovative adaptive thermal management system would not only improve satellite performance and reliability but also significantly extend operational lifespan, making satellites more cost-effective and efficient for manufacturers and operators. As the space market experiences a critical shift with decreasing launch costs and increasing launch frequency, satellite manufacturers and operators are under pressure to optimize efficiency and maintain profitability. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a lightweight, low-cost, and low-power consumption solution to enhance satellite efficiency (e.g., by increasing data throughput while reducing payload and power consumption) and enable the long-lasting use of small satellites. Such an innovative solution would make previously unattainable projects feasible and usher in a new era of satellite technology.

Vision: Development of a dynamic thermal regulation system for small satellites based on patented graphene optoelectronics technology. Innovation: Satellites experience rapidly alternating extreme heat under sunlight and extreme cold in earth's shadow during which the absorbed and internally generated heat change constantly. The current regulation systems balance the absorbed/generated heat with vented heat, such as heaters, consume a significative amount of power (~5-20% of total power). This project aims to adopt a patented graphene technology that can change its thermal radiation with small electric signals for dynamic thermal regulation of small satellites. The technology will have the following features: lightweight, low-power consumption, small-voltage operation, and large thermal radiation modulation. The innovative aspects of the project are 1) the use of graphene and its tunable optoelectronic properties for controlling thermal radiation, 2) overcoming the limitations of the existing thermal regulation systems and their power consumption. Focus: SmartIR was founded in 2020 to commercialize a breakthrough and patented graphene optoelectronics technology discovered at the University of Manchester. The main project outcome will be a prototype dynamic radiator ready-to-be-integrated onto small satellites. Objectives: Optimizing the fabrication of graphene adaptive thermal tiles (ATT) to be compatible for space applications. A prototype rig. that is ready to be tested in space. 1\. Impact: Reduction of satellites heat power consumption thanks to the ability to control dynamically the optical properties of the satellite\`s surface enabling new payloads design and operation with higher power accommodation. 2\. The technology can easily be scaled up for larger spacecraft applications, where the lightweight feature in contrast to existing thermal management systems, could generate launch cost-savings from a reduced payload.