Development and Experimental Study of Supercritical Flow Payload for Extravehicular Mounting on TZ-6

Abstract

This paper provides a detailed description of the development and experimental results of the supercritical flow experiment payload carried on the TZ-6 cargo spacecraft, as well as a systematic verification of the out-of-cabin deployment experiment. The technical and engineering indicators of the payload deployment experiment are analyzed, and the functional modules of the payload are shown. The paper provides a detailed description of the design, installation location, size, weight, temperature, illumination, pressure, radiation, control, command reception, telemetry data, downlink data, and experimental procedures for the out-of-cabin payload in the extreme conditions of space. The paper presents the annular liquid surface state and temperature oscillation signals obtained from the space experiment and conducts ground matching experiments to verify the results, providing scientific references for the design and condition setting of space experiments and comparisons for the experimental results to obtain the flow field structure under supercritical conditions. The paper provides a specific summary and discussion of the space fluid science experiment project, providing useful references for future long-term in-orbit scientific research using cargo spacecraft.

Keywords

• supercritical fluid
• thermal capillary convection
• microgravity environment
• annular flow
• out-of-cabin payload
• temperature oscillation