Quest matures Variable Gas Radiator technology for highly variable spacecraft radiators
Quest Thermal's NASA program wrapped up to develop a novel variable spacecraft radiator (Variable Gas Radiator, VGR). Current variable radiators, often based on louvers, offer a 4:1 turndown ratio, and NASA's goals were to reach 6:1. Quest's Variable Gas Radiator combined unique properties our our Discrete Spacer Technology™ with controlled gas conductance, and acheived a turndown ratio of 25:1 in a very lightweight radiator structure. VGR technology offers 5-fold better variability then current state of the art louver radiators, had a 3- to 5-fold lower minimum heat flux, and is now at TRL5.
Variable Gas Radiators were successfully demonstrated in this R&D program, and offer both good radiator and good insulation properties for demanding environments such as the lunar surface.