Space probes with optimized thermal management, and methods for thermal management of such probes.

Abstract

This concerns space probes with thermal management optimized for operation in harsh environments such as those encountered on the moon. [Solution] The space probe comprises a chassis 4 that houses the components of the probe, four wheels 10 attached to the chassis, and a movable body attached to the chassis, the body having wheel flaps 16 that are movable between an open position that does not cover the wheels and a closed position that covers the wheels, and an access hatch 18 that is movable between an open position that does not cover at least some components of the probe and a closed position that covers at least some components of the probe. To limit heat loss, the body is movable relative to the chassis between a high travel position and a low closed position, in which case the body is elevated relative to the wheels, and in which case the body is lowered relative to the wheels to increase the degree of enclosure of the components of the probe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of space exploration vehicles designed to operate in harsh environments such as those encountered on the moon. More specifically, the present invention relates to a space exploration vehicle with optimized thermal management.

Background Art

[0002] Space exploration vehicles, also known as planetary rovers, are mobile exploration vehicles designed to travel on the surface of celestial bodies or planets other than Earth, such as the moon or Mars, in order to transport astronauts, or to collect samples, perform analyses, or take photographs autonomously while moving on the surface of the celestial body. Typically, a rover consists of a chassis attached to wheels and supporting various components, including an engine, a navigation system, a communication system, sampling and handling tools, a place to store samples collected by the tools, a battery to power the engine and this equipment, and a solar panel to charge the battery.

[0003]

[0004] The use of rovers is particularly interesting in exploration areas that are difficult to access and / or exposed to harsh conditions. For example, as part of lunar exploration, the South Pole is of particular interest to scientists because of the presence of water ice in its permanent shadow craters. However, in these polar regions, solar radiation is always at a low angle, and its undulations result in areas that are permanently in shadow (especially at the bottom of craters), with temperatures remaining below 0°C. Therefore, rovers exploring these polar regions are exposed to severe temperature variations ranging from -240°C to +130°C.

[0005] ​Under such harsh conditions, it is especially important to ensure that the spacecraft's components do not degrade, particularly at very low temperatures. This can be achieved by incorporating internal heat storage mechanisms into the spacecraft, allowing energy generated by solar panels during the day on the lunar surface to be stored and used to heat the components during the night on the lunar surface (when solar panels are not effective). However, given the limited solar energy available at the poles (sunlight is always at a low angle), internal heat storage mechanisms may be insufficient, and thermal management of the spacecraft and its components becomes a practical problem. [Overview of the project]

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is therefore to overcome these disadvantages by proposing a spacecraft structure that can withstand very wide temperature variations, particularly at the lunar poles.

[0007] According to the present invention, this objective is A space probe with thermal management optimized for operation in harsh environments such as those encountered on the Moon, A chassis for housing components of a probe, wherein the components include an engine, battery, navigation system, communication system, sampling and retrieval equipment, a place for housing payload, and internal heat storage means. At least four wheels that can be attached to the chassis, A movable body that is mounted on the chassis, A wheel flap that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position the wheel flap does not cover the wheel, and in the closed position the wheel flap covers the wheel, and An access hatch that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position, at least some components of the spacecraft are not covered, and in the closed position, at least some components of the spacecraft are enclosed inside the body. A body equipped with, Equipped with, To limit heat loss, the body is movable relative to the chassis between a high travel position and a low occluded position, achieved by the spacecraft. In the high travel position, the body is raised relative to the wheels to allow the spacecraft to travel, and in the low occluded position, the body is lowered relative to the wheels to increase the degree of occlusion of the spacecraft's components.

[0008] In particular, the chassis of the probe according to the present invention can be moved and controlled so that all components of the probe are located in a low, enclosed position where they are enclosed within the body. This low, enclosed position is particularly suitable for the stationary phase of the probe during nighttime on the lunar surface, where temperatures are lowest. In fact, when the body is in this low, enclosed position, the internal heat storage means of the probe allow the components of the probe to be heated while limiting heat loss to the outside. The components of the probe are protected so that they can withstand the harsh conditions under which the probe operates.

[0009] Preferably, the wheels are attached to the chassis via a suspension that includes a wheel retraction mechanism.

[0010] The wheel flaps are also preferably equipped with solar panels on their inner surfaces for charging batteries and / or supplying power to components of the spacecraft.

[0011] More preferably, the access hatches of the body are provided with solar panels on their outer surfaces for charging batteries and / or supplying power to components of the probe.

[0012] To charge its batteries, the probe could also be equipped with additional solar panels that can be deployed when stationary.

[0013] The internal heat storage means may be thermal, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and / or gaseous, and may include a battery, a fuel cell, a buffer tank of a heat transfer fluid which is itself a phase-change liquid, and a heat pipe and / or a circulation loop of a heat transfer fluid for energy transfer.

[0014] Another subject of the present invention is a method for thermal management of a space probe as defined above, During the probe's travel phase, the flaps are in the open position, the hatches are in the closed position, and the body is positioned at a high travel position. During the spacecraft's stationary dormancy phase, the flaps and hatches are in the closed position, and the body is positioned in a low, enclosed location to limit heat loss.

[0015] The method may further include a stationary operation phase of the probe, in which the body has flaps and hatches that allow the sampling and retrieval equipment to operate. The body is positioned in an open position, and the body itself is positioned at a high driving position.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments, which are not limiting. The drawings are as follows. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the roulade configuration of the space probe according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the spacecraft shown in Figure 1 in its stationary configuration (for example, during nighttime on the lunar surface). [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the probe shown in Figure 1 in its operational configuration (configuration de manipulation). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The present invention relates to a space exploration vehicle (or planetary exploration vehicle) designed to operate in harsh environments such as those encountered on the moon, particularly in the polar regions of the moon.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, this exploration vehicle 2 particularly includes a chassis 4 for accommodating a plurality of components, including a motor, a battery, a navigation system, a communication system, a sampling and handling device 6 (FIG. 3), a storage space for a payload 8 (FIG. 3), internal heat storage means, etc.

[0020] These various components are well-known to those skilled in the art and thus will not be described in detail herein. In particular, the internal heat storage means may be thermal, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and / or gaseous (hydrogen and oxygen), and may include a battery, a fuel cell, a buffer tank for a heat transfer fluid having a phase change liquid itself, and / or a heat pipe and / or a circulation loop for the heat transfer fluid for energy transfer.

[0021] Of course, the chassis of the exploration vehicle can carry other components required for the mission of the exploration vehicle.

[0022] The exploration vehicle 2 also includes at least four wheels 10 attached to the chassis 4 by a suspension 12. For example, the wheels 10 are deformable non-pneumatic load-bearing wheels as described in European Patent Application Publication No. 4,331,867.

[0023] According to the present invention, the exploration vehicle 2 also includes a movable body 14 assembled to the chassis 4, and the movable body 14 particularly includes a wheel flap 16 and an access hatch 18.

[0024] More specifically, the wheel flap 16 is a door that is hinged to the body 14 at the arched portion of the wheel. The wheel flap 16 is movable between an open position where the wheel flap 16 does not cover the wheel (as in Figures 1 and 3) and a closed position where the wheel flap 16 covers the wheel (as in Figure 2).

[0025] The access hatch 18 is also a door hinged to the body at the center of the body. These access hatches are therefore movable between an open position (as in Figure 3) in which at least some components of the spacecraft are not covered, and a closed position (as in Figures 1 and 2) in which at least some components of the spacecraft are enclosed inside the body.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in order to limit heat loss, the body 14 is movable relative to the chassis 4 between a high travel position (in the cases of Figures 1 and 3) in which the body 14 is raised relative to the wheels 10, allowing the probe to travel, and a low closed position (in the case of Figure 2) in which the body 14 is lowered relative to the wheels, increasing the degree of closedness of the probe's components.

[0027] More specifically, when the body 14 is in its low closed position (Figure 2), the gap between the probe and the Earth's surface is approximately zero (the body is in contact with the Earth's surface S). By moving the wheel flaps 16 and access hatches 18 to their closed positions, the components of the probe located inside the body are completely sealed off.

[0028] Thus, in this closed position of the probe (for example, operating during nighttime on the lunar surface for missions on the lunar surface), the internal heat storage means also make the probe's structure more susceptible to damage. It can be operated to heat the constituent elements, thereby enabling such elements to withstand the harsh nighttime conditions on the lunar surface.

[0029] Conversely, when the probe 2 needs to move (as in Figure 1), the body 14 is positioned in its elevated travel position, and the wheel flaps 16 are in their open position (the access hatch 18 is in its closed position to protect the probe's components).

[0030] Furthermore, when the probe 2 needs to operate without moving (for example, to collect a sample as shown in Figure 3), the body 14 remains in its high travel position and the wheel flaps 16 are in their open position. The access hatch 18 is positioned in its closed position to access the sampling and retrieval device 6.

[0031] To facilitate moving the probe to its closed position, the probe's wheels 10 are attached to the chassis 4 by a suspension 12, which is advantageously provided with a wheel retraction mechanism (not shown). This type of mechanism can actuate the suspension to retract the wheels toward the chassis so that the wheels do not protrude further from the probe's body 14.

[0032] Furthermore, the wheel flaps 16 are provided with solar panels 20 on their inner surfaces for charging batteries and / or supplying power to components of the spacecraft (these solar panels are exposed to sunlight when the wheel flaps are in the open position).

[0033] In the example shown in Figure 1, the probe 2 is configured to explore the lunar polar regions where solar radiation is always at a low angle, and the wheel flaps 16 on which the solar panels 20 are mounted are positioned substantially vertically when the wheel flaps 16 are in the open position in order to capture as much solar radiation as possible.

[0034] Similarly, the access hatch 18 on the body is advantageously equipped with solar panels 20 on its outer surface for charging batteries and / or supplying power to components of the spacecraft (these solar panels are exposed to sunlight when the access hatch is in the closed position (Figures 1 and 2)).

[0035] In further advantageous configurations not shown, the probe may be further equipped with solar panels that can be deployed when the probe is stationary in order to charge its batteries.

Claims

1. A space probe (2) with thermal management optimized for operation in harsh environments such as those encountered on the Moon, A chassis (4) for housing the components of the probe, wherein the components include an engine, battery, navigation system, communication system, sampling and retrieval equipment (6), a place for housing payload (8), and internal heat storage means, At least four wheels (10) attached to the chassis, A movable body (14) that is assembled to the chassis, A wheel flap (16) that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position the wheel flap does not cover the wheel, and in the closed position the wheel flap covers the wheel, and An access hatch (18) that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position, at least some components of the probe are not covered, and in the closed position, at least some components of the probe are enclosed inside the body. A body equipped with, Equipped with, To limit heat loss, the body (14) is movable relative to the chassis (4) between a high travel position and a low closed position, wherein in the high travel position the body is raised relative to the wheels to allow the probe to travel, and in the low closed position the body is lowered relative to the wheels to increase the degree of occlusion of the probe's components.

2. The wheel (10) is attached to the chassis (4) via a suspension (12) which is provided with a wheel retraction mechanism. The probe according to claim 1.

3. The wheel flap (16) is provided with a solar panel (20) on its inner surface for charging the battery and / or supplying power to the components of the probe. The probe according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The access hatch (18) of the body is provided with a solar panel (20) on its outer surface for charging the battery and / or supplying power to the components of the probe. The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The probe further comprises solar panels that can be deployed when stationary in order to charge the aforementioned battery. The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The internal heat storage means may be thermal, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and / or gaseous, and may include a battery, a fuel cell, a buffer tank of a heat transfer fluid which is itself a phase-change liquid, and a heat pipe and / or a circulation loop of a heat transfer fluid for energy transfer. The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A method for thermal management of a space probe according to any one of claims 1 to 6, During the travel phase of the probe, the flaps are in the open position, the hatches are in the closed position, and the body is positioned at the high travel position. A method in which, during the stationary resting phase of the probe, the flaps and hatches are in the closed position and the body is positioned in the low closed position in order to limit heat loss.

8. The aforementioned probe further includes a stationary operation phase, During the stationary operation phase, the body is positioned such that the flap and hatch are in the open position, allowing the sampling and removal device to operate, and the body is positioned in the high travel position. The method according to claim 7.

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