Thermal Modeling of the ROMEO Satellite with a Focus on the Langmuir Probe Instrument

This thesis focuses on the thermal modeling of the Langmuir instrument operated by The Royal Institute of Technology aboard the Research and Observation in Medium Earth Orbit (ROMEO) satellite. The ROMEO satellite is part of the University of Stuttgart’s small satellite program, developed to test cost-efficient space technologies in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).
The deployable Langmuir probes measure the thermal plasma environment and its interaction with the satellite’s water propulsion system. Using the well-established tool for spacecraft thermal analysis, Systema-Thermica, the project aims to study the thermal behaviour of the instrument, ensuring optimal performance during its lifetime in the harsh conditions of space. The purpose is to show and validate the methodology and assumptions used in the thermal analysis, where the worst-case scenarios are taken into account for the simulations.