Thermal design of the environmental control cabin for near-space vehicles

Stratospheric communication technology has become a research focus in the aerospace field in recent years, and temperature control of payload equipment in near-space environments is one of the key factors affecting system stability. However, most existing studies primarily concentrate on stratospheric airships, with relatively limited attention given to the thermal control of environmental control cabins (ECCs). In this study, a comprehensive thermal control strategy was developed based on the specific environmental characteristics of a stratospheric vehicle’s ECC. Numerical simulations were conducted to evaluate the temperature distribution and airflow behavior under extreme thermal conditions. Results indicate that, even in harsh high- and low-temperature scenarios, all onboard electronic equipment maintained stable operation within a temperature range of ±50 °C. These findings provide valuable engineering insight and serve as a practical reference for future thermal control system design in near-space missions.