Spacecraft cooling technology could keep astronauts cool on mission to Mars

Innovative spacecraft cooling technology designed to help keep astronauts cool on long missions has been successfully trialled aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Developed by engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts the system uses electrically charged fluids to absorb and carry heat away from electronics and other heat-generating equipment.

With no moving parts, the technology’s simplicity and reliability make it an attractive option for long-duration space missions that will take astronauts far from the security of their home planet. The research is paving the way for an orbital test of a more complex version of the cooling system in 2021.

Based on electrohydrodynamics (EHD), the technology uses electrically charged fluids that continuously circulate through tiny tubes in the cooling system, absorbing and carrying heat away from its source.

Its developers claim that unlike current mechanical cooling systems it creates no noise or vibrations and requires minimal electric power to operate.