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The problem is less the quantity of heat generated than of shedding that heat. Even modest electronics emit several watts of thermal waste heat, and given that
by dredmorbius 2y ago
The problem is less the quantity of heat generated than of shedding that heat. Even modest electronics emit several watts of thermal waste heat, and given that the entire satellite is in a highly-insulating vacuum, as well as subject to solar insolation (at 1 kW/m²), it's easy to exceed thermal budgets.
- verzali 2y agoYou can do the sums. Spacecraft lose heat by radiation and if you do the sums for a small spacecraft you can see the equilibrium temperature is low enough that you don't need to take any special measures to shed the heat.