Welsh project aims to reinvent space cooling with laser textured graphite
ATMS centers on replacing traditional copper heat conductors with synthetic graphite. Teledyne Labtech is optimizing in-plane conduction within circuit boards, while Bangor University's School of Computer Science and Engineering is boosting emissivity by texturing surfaces to radiate heat efficiently into space.
Researchers at Bangor are using ultrafast laser processing to etch microscopic patterns into synthetic graphite and other materials, significantly enhancing thermal radiation. The partners say overcoming this bottleneck could unlock higher processor utilization on satellites, where overheating often curtails performance.
"In space, traditional cooling methods that are reliant on-air circulation, simply don't work," said John Priday, Chief Technical Officer of Teledyne Labtech. "Our ATMS project is developing scalable, lightweight, and efficient circuit board technology using synthetic graphite, which has the potential to transform the aerospace sector and supercharge the next stage of the space revolution."
"We firmly believe that in our partnership with Bangor University, we've found the key to developing this transformative technology," added Jak Bridges, Sales Manager. "We extend our sincere thanks to Airbus and the Welsh Government for their support in making this vision a reality."
The program runs through the end of 2026, culminating in prototype demonstrations for future missions and potential insertion into next-generation spacecraft systems.
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