Structural Heat Sink

Large Aluminum Heat Sink Plate Integrated with Structure

A structural heat sink is a 20-kilogram aluminum honeycomb panel integrated into a lunar framework to combine structural support with thermal management. Providing 5 kilojoules per kelvin of thermal mass alongside conductive paths to radiators, the unit passively absorbs equipment heat and buffers internal shifts. In the lunar vacuum, where the absence of atmosphere eliminates convective cooling, internal heat rejection relies strictly on conduction and radiation across extreme temperature swings. Matched to mating components for thermal expansion, each plate operates at zero watts to deliver a 100-year lifetime with modular panel-level replacement.

Large aluminum heat sink plates integrated with the structural framework providing thermal mass and conductive paths to radiators.