Investigations on the temperature warnings of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

Abstract

The thermal environment of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the International Space Station (ISS) is complicated due to the varying β angle (the angle between ISS orbital plane and the solar vector) and the ISS manoeuvres, which can induce temperature warnings to the AMS. We gave a statistical analysis on the temperature dependence on β, found the occurrence regularity of the temperature warnings, and the β intervals where temperature warnings tend to occur. We also analysed the impacts of the ISS manoeuvres on the local temperature of these components, and found that adjusting the position of the ISS starboard radiator can help to adjust the local temperature of the components located at the port side of the AMS, we also found locking solar arrays brought temperature drop on the AMS in most of cases but temperature rise on the tracker plane 1 located at the top of the AMS when β<−70°, attitude adjustment generally doesn’t bring temperature warning except the attitude in which the wake radiator was constantly illuminated. The investigations provide reference for the long-time thermal control of the AMS, and provide knowledge for the ISS operation to take into account.