Characterizing Critical Interfaces in a Spacebourne Avionics Unit: Comprehensive Thermal Testing and Model Correlation

In our previous work, "Bi-modal Thermal Design of a Spacebourne Rotorcraft Avionics Unit", we presented a comprehensive analysis of preliminary thermal assumptions guided by the harsh design constraints imposed by a high-powered avionics unit that eschews conventional spacecraft design techniques. The paper introduced our primary bottleneck at various interfaces, and detailed pressure paper experiments to estimate thermal analysis inputs and provide a comprehensive thermal design. This paper will further investigate those assumptions by presenting a thorough test campaign and model correlation study that characterizes discrete interfaces of interest using a flight-like prototype.