Abstract:

A computer aided thermal analysis method of space optical remote sensor (SORS) is presented, including thermal balance computation, thermo-elastic analysis, thermo-optical analysis, thermo-optical sensitivity analysis and thermal design evaluation. Thermal balance computation is to predict temperature distribution of SORS, thermo-elastic analysis is to compute thermal-induced elastic distortions of optical benches and surface figure of optical elements, thermo-optical analysis is to analyze the effects of above-mentioned distortions on image quality, thermo-optical sensitivity is to discuss sensitivity coefficients of circumferential,axial, radial and temperature level on image quality. These analyses are helpful to understand the effects of space thermal environments on SORS and therewith on image quality, to bring forward targets of thermal control, and to establish reasonable thermal design scheme. Its application in an engineering project indicates that this method is valuable.

Key words: space optical remote sensor, thermal balance computation, thermo-elastic analysis, thermo-optical analysis, thermo-optical sensitivity analysis, thermal design evaluation