Linked Questions
11 questions linked to/from Would it be possible to build a probe that could operate at about 480 °C (900F degrees) without insulation?
11
votes
2answers
2k views
Why did the Herschel Space Telescope need helium coolant?
Inspired by answering this question
The Wikipedia entry says this
On 29 April 2013, ESA announced that Herschel's supply of liquid helium, used to cool the instruments and detectors on board, had ...
3
votes
0answers
71 views
Taking photos from Venus surface from an airship. Possible?
On planet Venus at ground level temperature level is about 450°C which seems to high for electronic devices such as a camera.
Could electronic devices and a camera on a airship just below the clouds ...
2
votes
0answers
229 views
Did any of Voyagers' receivers' front ends take advantage of the “cold of space” to lower noise?
Most of the Voyagers' electronics are kept warm by electrical heaters powered by their RTG's, and presumably protected by some amount of insulation from the "cold of space" which means loss of heat ...
7
votes
2answers
252 views
What are the technical challenges in building a Titan rover that didn't need heating?
In the discussion of this question it is assumed that we would need to heat the rover so that (most of) it's components were operating at temperatures much hotter than ambient (about 90K). Current ...
8
votes
5answers
6k views
Could a fan be used to prevent overheating on a Venus bound space probe?
I saw something saying that the circuits on a Venus bound space craft would overheat and basically ruin the the spacecraft.
Is that true?
If so, could they install fans to keep the circuits cool?
3
votes
3answers
506 views
Is there anything like a standard for maximum temperature for mission-critical electronics in spacecraft?
In addition to radiation, acceleration, and vibration, a launch vehicle can encounter excursions in temperature, and critical electronics for guidance and control should probably be resistant to ...
2
votes
2answers
642 views
When was the last normal electron tube (valve) for electrical circuitry launched into space?
The answer to my question The first transistors in space: Germanium or Silicon? What about LEO? actually addressed both the first Germanium and Silicon transistor.
So now I've gotta ask about ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
How does the Parker Solar Probe's heat shield protect it from dust near the sun?
In this answer the survival of the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft passing as close as 9 solar radii from the Sun's surface is discussed. Using guestimates for apoapsis and periapsis of 1.1 $a_{venus}$,...
11
votes
1answer
1k views
How can the Parker Solar Probe survive passing within 4 million miles of the sun's surface?
There is a lot of information on the internet about NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, including several multi-hundred page scientific reviews and in-depth studies - here's one. But could someone take ...
19
votes
3answers
2k views
Potential high temperature power sources for a Venus lander
What power sources are viable on a 'long term' Venus lander?
An RTG relies on a temperature differential, and is not likely to be doable with a 457C 'cold side'.
Based on this answer there is not ...
3
votes
2answers
335 views
Temperature of photovoltaic cells vs efficiency - is it ever actively controlled?
The efficiency of photovoltaic cells is surprisingly strong function of junction temperature. Hotter usually means lower efficiency. If one searches for example for images and sites tagged with "...