Satellite thermal control keeps every component inside its qualified temperature range while the spacecraft swings between direct sun and eclipse every orbit. For most CubeSats the answer is passive — multi-layer insulation, coatings and careful layout, at a few thousand dollars. Larger platforms and power-hungry payloads add heat pipes, radiators, louvers or pumped loops, and the budget grows to tens or hundreds of thousands. This guide walks through the options and who supplies them.
Passive vs Active Thermal Control
| Technique | Type | Typical Use | Cost Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface coatings and tapes | Passive | Every spacecraft; sets absorptivity/emissivity | $ |
| Multi-layer insulation (MLI) | Passive | Blanketing body panels, tanks, instruments | $ |
| Thermal straps and gap fillers | Passive | Conducting heat from boards to structure | $ |
| Heat pipes (constant conductance) | Passive | Moving 10-500 W from electronics to radiator | $$ |
| Deployable radiators | Passive/mech | High-power smallsats, optical payloads | $$$ |
| Louvers | Semi-active | Trimming radiator output across seasons | $$ |
| Heaters with thermostats | Active | Batteries, propulsion, survival heating | $ |
| Pumped fluid loops / cryocoolers | Active | Large buses, IR and cryogenic instruments | $$$$ |
Rules of Thumb for Sizing
- Under ~20 W dissipation (typical 3U-6U CubeSat): coatings, tapes, thermal straps and battery heaters are usually enough. Spend the money on analysis, not hardware.
- 20-100 W (12U to 100 kg class): add heat pipes and a dedicated body-mounted radiator panel; consider louvers if the duty cycle varies widely.
- Over 100 W or tight-stability optics: deployable radiators, loop heat pipes or pumped loops — and a thermal engineer on the team from day one.
- Always heated: batteries (typically kept above 0 C for charging), propellant lines and valves, and any mechanism greased for a narrow range.
Who Supplies Thermal Hardware
Manufacturers with thermal-control products listed in the NewSpace Market catalogue:
| Manufacturer | Country | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| ACT (Advanced Cooling Technologies) | United States | Constant-conductance and loop heat pipes, pumped loops |
| Arquimea | Spain | Thermal switches, paraffin actuators, louvers |
| Technology Applications Inc (TAI) | United States | Lightweight radiators, thermal straps |
| Thermal Space | United States | MLI blankets for smallsats |
| Beyond Gravity | Switzerland | MLI and thermal hardware for ESA-class missions |
| DUNMORE | United States | Metallized films and tapes for MLI |
| Calyos | Belgium | Two-phase pumped loops and heat spreaders |
Browse the full list with specifications and datasheets in the thermal control category or download the sector catalogue (PDF).
Budget Guide
- CubeSat passive kit (coatings, tapes, straps, heaters): $2,000 – $15,000 in parts; the real cost is the thermal analysis campaign.
- Heat pipes: roughly $5,000 – $25,000 each depending on qualification level and geometry.
- MLI blankets: priced per blanket and pattern complexity; a smallsat set typically $10,000 – $50,000 including patterning.
- Deployable radiator: $100,000+ with deployment mechanism and qualification.
- Thermal vacuum test (rent, per campaign): $10,000 – $80,000 depending on chamber size and duration — see test facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do CubeSats need radiators?
Usually not a dedicated one — the anodized structure and a well-chosen coating radiate enough for a few watts. The threshold arrives with power-dense payloads (SDRs, cameras with fast electronics), where a body panel gets treated as a radiator and connected with straps or a small heat pipe.
What temperature range should components survive?
Industrial-grade electronics are typically rated -40 to +85 C, and most smallsat designs aim to keep boards within -20 to +60 C operational. Batteries are the narrowest: roughly 0 to +45 C while charging. Your deployer and launch provider will also impose a non-operational range during the ride to orbit.
Related Guides
- SmallSat Platform Cost Guide — what a bus costs and what drives the price.
- How to Launch a CubeSat — the full mission timeline including environmental testing.
Compare thermal hardware side by side in the catalogue, or send one request for quotation to several suppliers at once.