A system for controlling a distribution of propellant in a propellant tank assembly for a spacecraft comprises a body for containing the propellant, a plurality of thermal tomography elements, including a plurality of temperature-control elements and a plurality of temperature sensors, disposed around the body for detecting the distribution of the propellant inside the body; and a tomography element control module arranged to control the plurality of temperature-control elements to redistribute the propellant inside the propellant tank body by heating and/or cooling the propellant. In an embodiment, the propellant tank body includes a propellant management device inside the body and the tomography elements are disposed in proximity to the propellant management device. Tomography data can be obtained from the plurality of tomography elements, and a distribution of propellant within the propellant tank body can be determined based on the obtained tomography data.


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    Title :

    CONTROLLING A PROPELLANT DISTRIBUTION IN A SPACECRAFT PROPELLANT TANK


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2016-01-07


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / F02K JET-PROPULSION PLANTS , Strahltriebwerke



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