Electronics cooling expert develops heat pipe to support spacecraft

As humans continue to explore space, their spacecraft require newer technologies. Often, these new technologies generate more heat, which can be a problem if the structures can’t withstand it. Mohammed Ababneh, PhD, thinks he has found the solution for managing these higher temperatures. Ababneh, a research development engineer at Advanced Cooling Technologies Inc. (ACT) in Lancaster, Pa., specializes in electronics cooling and thermal management for space and terrestrial applications. He worked as the principal investigator of the program and part of a larger ACT team made up of Calin Tarau, PhD; William Anderson, PhD; and Corey Wagner. Jeff Farmer, PhD, technical monitor from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Jesse Fisher from Lockheed Martin also assisted with the tests. Ababneh and the team at ACT created a new high-heat-flux heat pipe that more than triples the existing heat capacity of standard heat pipes used in spacecraft.