1_Spacecraft
Heat control on spacecraft and satellites is extremely important – many tools on a spacecraft need to be kept within a specific temperature range to function correctly. However, in space, it’s not so easy to control temperature, due to weightlessness, limited electrical power, and long lifespans of operational spacecraft. Heat pipes are especially useful in these cases, largely because they don’t require any power and they can transport heat over long distances. However, heat pipes in space and heat pipes on earth are different: in space, heat pipes are wicked heat pipes where the wick structure provides a capillary force to make the working fluid flow inside the heat pipe, whereas earth heat pipes can be gravity assisted. These are called thermosyphons or wicked heat pipes.