Design and Implementation of the MSL Cruise Propulsion Tank Heaters

This slide presentation reviews the design and the implementation of the heaters for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). The pressurized tanks store hydrazine that freezes at 2 C, this means that heaters are required to keep the hydrazine and the helium at 36 C for the trip to Mars. Using the TMG software the heat loss was analyzed, and a thermal model simulates a half full tank which yielded a 13W heating requirement for each hemisphere. Views of the design, and the heater are included.