European Space Thermal Engineering Workshop 2026

Session

Small Satellites & Cubesats

SSC

6 Oct 2026, 11:00

Einstein, Newton (ESA/ESTEC)

Conveners

Small Satellites & Cubesats

• Andreas Mussger (ESA)

Small Satellites & Cubesats

• Nektarios Chari (ESA)

2. Design Guidelines for Dynamic Radiative Thermal Environment Simulation in CubeSat TVAC Testing

Daphne Papadatos (Carleton University)

06/10/2026, 11:00

thermal technologies and methodologies related to small satellites and CubeSats

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...

16. Thermal Analysis of MOVE-IIIa and PEANUT Student Projects

David Hangen (TUM)

06/10/2026, 11:30

thermal technologies and methodologies related to small satellites and CubeSats

Thermal simulation and analysis impacts mission success and is becoming increasingly critical as thermal system complexity grows in the space industry. Despite this, it remains largely underrepresented in student satellite and low-gravity experiment projects. Beyond a limited number of papers covering general concepts, there is almost no documentation on concrete step-by-step analysis...

57. Thermal Balance and Cycle Testing of the ALEASAT 1U In-Orbit Demonstration CubeSat

Shreya Shah (University of British Columbia)

06/10/2026, 12:00

thermal technologies and methodologies related to small satellites and CubeSats

ALEASAT is a 1U In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) CubeSat intended for Earth Observation. Like other such projects, ALEASAT is generally characterized by higher risk of acceptance profile, low level of complexity (relative to other ESA space projects), low cost and short schedule, short operational lifetime (typically < 5 years in LEO), acceptance of single point failures, and robust safe mode...

38. Parametric Sensitivity Analysis on Thermal Management Solutions for High-Power 3U CubeSats

Ioana Teodora Oprea (Instituto Superior Técnico)

08/10/2026, 14:00

thermal technologies and methodologies related to small satellites and CubeSats

3U CubeSats typically achieve maximum power levels of around 30 W, having the on-board power generation capacity constrained by the surface area available for mounting solar panels. However, through advancements in the area of high-capacity batteries, some satellite platform developers provide solutions of up to one order of magnitude higher in payload power. But as the external surface area...

59. 3D-Printed Loop Heat Pipes and Deployable Radiator Systems for CubeSat, SmallSat, and Lunar Habitat Applications

Calin Tarau (Advanced Cooling Technologies)

08/10/2026, 15:00

thermal technologies and methodologies related to small satellites and CubeSats

ACT has increased the technology readiness level (TRL) of 3DP LHP systems to TRL 6 and has developed three flight-ready 3DP LHPs to meet a variety of mission needs: a 50 W LHP for a 12U CubeSat, a 250 W LHP for an ESPA-class SmallSat, and a 1kW LHP featuring a passive thermal control valve (TCV) for lunar night survival. Two of the 3DP LHPs (12U CubeSat and 250W ESPA-class SmallSat) are...

55. Thermal modelling of ELECTRA: lessons learned for a student team

Riccardo Dipietro (Politecnico di Torino)

08/10/2026, 15:30

thermal technologies and methodologies related to small satellites and CubeSats

The thermal design of a CubeSat can present unique challenges that stem from the small size and desired low complexity of the spacecraft. It is often impractical to include proper thermal control components. As such, thermal modelling becomes the main tool for ensuring that the satellite can operate using passive systems. These challenges are more demanding when the project is led by...