Specific Heat


Specific heat is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. In space and astronautical engineering, specific heat is an important parameter for designing thermal control systems for spacecraft. The specific heat of a material determines how much heat energy it can absorb or release before its temperature changes. This is critical for spacecraft because they are exposed to extreme temperature variations in space. The specific heat of materials used in spacecraft components, such as thermal insulation, heat sinks, and radiators, must be carefully selected to ensure that they can withstand the thermal loads and maintain the desired temperature range. Specific heat is also used to calculate the heat transfer rates in spacecraft systems, such as the heat generated by electronic components and the heat dissipated by propulsion systems.


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