Power Saving in Magnetorquers by Operating in Cryogenic Environments

Satellites with cryogenic instrumentation have great potential for military, commercial, and scientific space missions due to the increased sensitivity of their sensors, even Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions. For these missions, magnetorquers are a common electromagnetic actuation solution controlling attitude orientation satellite. As any other component satellite, optimization power consumption weight is always beneficial design. In this work, we propose novel idea reduce during magnetorquer operation: installing in area instead an actuator hot area. electric resistivity wire greatly reduced, also reduced. However, heat generated magnetorquer, if lower, must still be dissipated by cryocooling system, which has additional energetic cost. The temperature range where effect beneficial, amount saved, was determined as function different cryocooler technologies’ efficiency purity copper material. It analytically demonstrated that operation from 10 40 K could save energy respect at 300 wires residual resistance ratio larger than 200 RRR. A prototype suitable temperatures manufactured tested liquid nitrogen temperature, 77 K, experimentally demonstrate variation consumption. comprised iron core winding achieved 1.42 Am2 applying 0.565 W 0.5 A. When operating submerged used reduced eight times change electrical resistivity.