Temperature Responses to External Heat Fluxes of the Power Distribution System on Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

High-temperature warnings frequently occurred at the Power Distribution System(PDS)of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer(AMS).To investigate the fundamental reasons,a theoretical model for the AMS PDS was established under the International Space Station(ISS)normal and special operating conditions.With the model,the study investigated the external heat fluxes and the temperature responses of the PDS.The effects of ISS special operations on the PDS’s thermal environment were also investigated.Results reveal that the total external heat flux at the PDS reaches its maximum value when the angleβis around–25°,where high-temperature warning frequently occurs.Under the ISS normal operating condition,the temperature response hysteresis at the PDS varies from 116 s to 230 s.When the ISS performed special operations,locking the ISS solar arrays had the greatest influence on the PDS’s external heat fluxes,and the average temperature at the PDS fell by 1.7°C.When the ISS performed multiple special operations,simultaneously locking the ISS solar arrays and adjusting the ISS flight attitude were the most frequent operations,of which the influences on the PDS temperature were the largest,i.e.,the changes in peak temperature reached up to+2.5°C.