Engineers with the Air Force Research Lab’s materials and manufacturing directorate at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, say they have successfully integrated two existing technologies to create a new thermal control system for future satellites. The new active-temperature control system is compact and much lighter than state-or-the-art devices with similar functions, requires very little power, and has minimal data storage requirements. It combines an electrostatic radiator, developed by Sensortek, Inc., of Costa Mesa, Calif., and a heat-flux-based emissivity measuring method created by Advanced Thermal and Environmental Concepts, Inc., of College Park, Md. After testing in a large vacuum chamber, the system was included as part of NASA’s MISSE-6 on-orbit experiment that was carried into space in March by the Space Shuttle Endeavor. (Wright-Patterson report by Heyward Burnette)
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall warned of putting too much emphasis on hypersonics just because China is advancing in that area, saying hypersonic missiles are better suited to China's strategy and that USAF has yet to determine the right munitions mix for the future. He also said the Advanced Battle…