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Description
Simulating the orbital thermal environment remains challenging even for leading space agencies and industry, as heat transfer in orbit occurs solely through radiation and is strongly affected by rapidly varying orbital position, flux, and temperature. During testing of larger spacecraft, thermal radiation is typically simulated using existing or dedicated structures composed of black radiative panels and controllable heaters, designed to fit within thermal vacuum chambers. As CubeSats become increasingly prominent thanks to their compact electronics, lower cost, and short development cycles, the need for accurate and accessible thermal test methods is growing. Yet, within the CubeSat community, the development of representative radiative thermal test setups remains limited. This paper identifies the different existing solutions to simulate a radiative thermal environment and proposes a methodology for dynamically adjusting radiative flux in resource-constrained settings. Drawing on experience and lessons learned from several large-satellite thermal vacuum tests, the paper evaluates how these heritage methods can be adapted for CubeSat applications. The paper presents a comparative analysis of current approaches used across European and North American CubeSat teams, supported by selected case studies. Test strategies are examined in the context of Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit, and Geostationary missions to provide a broader applicability. Ultimately, this paper aims to propose practical guidelines and adaptable test setups that enable CubeSat teams worldwide to more accurately reproduce orbital radiative conditions using the resources available to them.