Patent ID: 10189584

Abstract:
A system for controlling a distribution of propellant in a propellant tank assembly for a spacecraft comprises a body for containing the propellant, a plurality of thermal tomography elements, including a plurality of temperature-control elements and a plurality of temperature sensors, disposed around the body for detecting the distribution of the propellant inside the body; and a tomography element control module arranged to control the plurality of temperature-control elements to redistribute the propellant inside the propellant tank body by heating and/or cooling the propellant. In an embodiment, the propellant tank body includes a propellant management device inside the body and the tomography elements are disposed in proximity to the propellant management device. Tomography data can be obtained from the plurality of tomography elements, and a distribution of propellant within the propellant tank body can be determined based on the obtained tomography data.