Title: Beginning Heat Transfer Characteristics of a Deployable Radiator for Use on Kiku-8 under Orbital Environment : Heat Transfer Characteristics of Reservoir Embedded Loop Heat Pipe(<Special Issue>Challenge to Ultimate Cooling Technique Using Phase Change Process)
Abstract: A deployable radiator (DPR) on the Engineering Test Satellite Kiku 8 (ETS-VIII) was launched to a geo stationary orbit by H-IIA rocket on 18Dec. 2006. Deployable radiators are anticipated for extension of the radiator area on satellites to mitigate increased heat generation. The DPR is an experimental apparatus on the Kiku 8; it has a Reservoir Enbedded Loop Heat Pipe (RELHP) for heat transfer from the experimental heat load to the DPR radiator. The RELHP reservoir is embedded in the evaporator for reliable function of the Loop Heat Pipe (LHP). This paper describes the characteristics of the DPR and the RELHP on ETS-VIII from the launch operation time to the first DPR test in an orbital environment.