APR Technologies develops novel pump technology for spacecraft under SNSA grant

In parallel to its thermal switch product line for satellites, APR Technologies starts a new development based on its patented Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) technology. APR Technologies has been granted MSEK 1,1 from Swedish National Space Agency and will develop a pumped loop enabling efficient and reliable thermal control of various spacecraft including Rovers to Mars and the Moon. Such vehicles need pumps with fast reaction time driven by the sudden shift of thermal environment depending on the orientation towards the sun during the day and very cold nights. Another applications is cooling of satellite radars which dissipate a lot of power in their active antennas.

Several nations including US and Europe have ambitious new programs for continued exploration of Mars and ”return to the Moon”. Satellite based radar sensors are more and more demanded for various applications for which optical observation is not adequate or possible due to for instance clouds. The APR EHD technology offers advantages such as power efficiency, instant and continuous thermal regulation, long lifetime and vibration-free thanks to a solution with no moving mechanical part.

Contact: Peter Nilsson, CEO, peter.nilsson@aprtec.com