Flying with (thermal) wings wide open

SpIRIT has been in orbit for 650+ days, and recently we reached its final flight configuration with the thermal radiators wide open. Everything is looking great on the satellite with its (thermal) wings open. The HERMES gamma/x-ray telescope is quite close to its optimal temperature range thanks to passive cooling only, and our Stirling cycle cryocooler is operating nominally both pre and post radiator deployment.

The deployment represented a significant irreversible change in the payload stack thermal configuration, so its execution took a bit longer than expected and was subject to careful review. We are now looking forward to continuining to operate the spacecraft to its full potential.

The radiator deployment also released our selfie stick camera stowed underneath, so stay tuned for some cool pictures before and during IAC Sydney at the end of September.

Fig 1: SpIRIT right thermal radiator imaged with one of the RGB cameras on 23 August 2025 as the satellite was orbiting over the Indian Ocean off the Madagascar coast.