As satellites are more and more powerful, they also require more and more surfaces to radiate toward space and keep acceptable temperatures. Therefore, the trend is to develop deployable radiators. 

A specific deployable radiator could be an extendable radiator, able to increase its area to reject more heat toward space, while being able to retract itself to limit the view factor (and thus, heating power) during cold phases.

In this case, IMFT and CNES work on an extendable radiator concept, with a diphasic fluid inside, able to transfer heat efficiently from one side to another, but also able to deploy additional area to radiate toward space, and retract itself with a spring.

The objectives of this subject is :

- To model diphasic fluid interaction with a flexible structure

- To size a spring allowing the deployment and the retractation of the structure

- To size capillary structures in the flexible structure

- To choose the best materials and fluid for space environment 

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For more Information about the topics and the co-financial partner (found by the lab!); contact Directeur de thèse - catherine.colin@toulouse-inp.fr

Then, prepare a resume, a recent transcript and a reference letter from your M2 supervisor/ engineering school director and you will be ready to apply online  before March 13th, 2026 Midnight Paris time !