Thermal Imaging Made more Reliable for Spacecraft Tests

A thermal imaging camera is used when testing spacecraft components in various temperature scenarios, to measure its performance. The camera measures the apparent radiating temperature to the user. But, to determine the spacecraft’s true surface temperature you have to correct for several variables, which makes it difficult to take reliable measurements. 

The thermal imaging camera, measurements of background radiation, scene geometry and object surface emissivity need to be reliable to make sure the measurements are accurate.

A new activity between TDE and the National Physical Laboratory in the UK has developed a way to make fully traceable thermal imaging temperature measurements of space craft even during thermal vacuums.

The activity follows on from a previous TDE activity, which demonstrated the process in principle, but the thermal imaging cameras were not fully calibrated, no emissivity data was taken and other uncertainties were merely estimates.

Now, this new activity has validated the concept of traceable thermography in a test scenario. They used 3D thermography to determine the shape of the spacecraft directly with a network of 3D cameras, which reduced the need to import additional visual cameras into a thermal vacuum environment, and reduced equipment cost. 

The traceable thermography will mean more accurate and more reliable contactless thermal measurements can be taken during thermal vacuum tests of spacecraft.

T708-503MX closed in 2021.