Reflective baffle for Bepicolombo mission

E. Rugi-Grond, T. Weigel, A. Herren, M. Domínguez Calvo, Errico Armandillo, Josiane Costeraste, Nikos Karafolas
2019 International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2006  
thermal control concept. Deep concerns would be The BepiColombo Spacecraft can't tolerate to absorb a raised to that component, resulting in comfortable marmajor fraction of the off-axis sunlight through larger gins of safety and eventually a mass impact in the order payload apertures. Fortunately, there are solutions to of 1-1.3 Kg. design baffles such that they reflect the incoming radia-If instead a baffle could be designed such that it retion back through the front aperture rather than
more » ... bflects off most of the received power, there would be ing it. A Design Study, sponsored by ESA and perno further transmission loss. The failure mode would formed by Contraves Space together with SAGEM rather consist in a graceful degradation. Sure, a baffle Défense Securité, has analysed the potential of various would have a mass of ~1.5 Kg too. But mass and solutions and assessed the options to manufacture power is saved through the smaller sizing of the Laser them. The selected configuration has been analysed in Altimeter behind. detail for the optical, mechanical and thermal performance as well as the impact on mass and power dissipation. The size of the baffle was adapted to the needs of 2. REQUIREMENTS the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter (BELA) payload. The following requirements were given to the Design Study.
doi:10.1117/12.2551738 fatcat:nddqk4xm6jelxibscwfcrt3qjm