Dynamic Control of Radiative Surface Properties With Origami-Inspired Design

Thermal management systems for space equipment commonly use static solutions that do not adapt to environmental changes. Dynamic control of radiative surface properties is one way to respond to environmental changes and to increase the capabilities of spacecraft thermal management systems. This paper documents an investigation of the extent to which origami-inspired surfaces may be used to control the apparent absorptivity of a reflective material. Models relating the apparent absorptivity of a radiation shield to time-dependent surface temperatures are presented. Results show that the apparent absorptivity increases with increasing fold density and indicate that origami-inspired designs may be used to control the apparent radiative properties of surfaces in thermal management systems.