Thermal Simulation of Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer in Orbit

Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a unique particle physics detector installed on the International Space Station (ISS). In this article, the numerical simulation model of AMS in orbit was established in Thermal Desktop. With the model, temperature variations of AMS surfaces under the ISS normal and special operating conditions were analyzed, the effects of ISS orbital parameters and ISS special operations on the temperatures of AMS were revealed, and the extreme thermal situations of AMS RAM and WAKE main radiators were obtained. As for the high temperature warnings occurred at Power distribution system (PDS) under the hottest situation, locking ISS starboard solar arrays vertically is effectively and suggested as the thermal control strategy.