In space, thermal management systems operate under conditions that differ significantly from those on Earth. These systems are exposed to intense solar radiation and extreme fluctuations in surface temperature. Moreover, they cannot dissipate heat through conduction and convection, but instead through conduction and radiation from the refrigerant to the space because of the near-vacuum condition. Consequently, typical experimental methods employed in laboratory environments are limited in their ability to capture the realistic, complex dynamics, and unpredictable behaviors of the system in space conditions. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a Real-Time Hybrid (RTH) testing framework of an Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) designed for deep space habitats, with an emphasis on lunar habitats. The RTH framework integrates both physical and cyber subsystems through transfer systems, allowing for comprehensive testing under desired space conditions and scenarios. In this paper, the physical subsystem of an ATCS built in a laboratory environment is introduced. Furthermore, three types of characterization tests are conducted to demonstrate the dynamic behaviors and capabilities of the physical substructure, which will enable the development of the entire RTH simulation of an ATCS.
Rhee et al. (Sun,) studied this question.