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TRASYS Solves Radiation-Related Thermal Analysis Problems

    › Benefits
    › Applications
    › Licensing and Partnering Opportunity
    › Contact Information

Innovators at NASA’s Johnson Space Center have developed a software system with generalized capability to solve radiation-related aspects of thermal analysis problems. The Thermal Radiation Analyzer System (TRASYS) computes the total thermal radiation environment for a spacecraft in orbit by calculating internode radiation interchange data as well as incident and absorbed heat rate data originating from environmental radiant heat sources. A primary feature allows users to write their own driver programs to organize and direct the preprocessor and processor library routines in solving specific thermal radiation problems. TRASYS offers up to a 4,000 node problem size capability, with shadowing by intervening opaque or semi-transparent surfaces and a choice of diffuse, specular, or diffuse/specular radiant interchange solutions. The software may be released to U.S persons only.


Benefits
  • Flexible: Allows considerable freedom in the definition and choice of solution method for each thermal radiation problem
  • Consistent: Retains the same basic input structure, even as authors make updates to keep up with changing requirements
  • Automated: Features macroinstructions that automatically provide the executive logic for orbit generation that optimizes the use of previously completed computations
  • Efficient: Offers a time-variable geometry package that provides automatic pointing of the various parts of an articulated spacecraft and an automatic look-back feature that eliminates redundant form factor calculations

Applications
  • Orbital vehicles
  • Communication satellites

Licensing and Partnering Opportunity

This technology is being made available through JSC’s Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office, which seeks to transfer technology into and out of NASA to benefit the space program and U.S. industry. NASA invites companies to consider licensing this technology for commercial applications.


Contact Information

If you would like more information about this technology or about NASA’s technology transfer program, please contact:

Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office
NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Phone: 281-483-3809
E-mail: jsc-techtran@mail.nasa.gov
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