DEFINITION:

It includes:

• Spacecraft Thermal Control : all technologies needed for the thermal control of space systems.
• Aero thermodynamics : Dynamics of gases (physical processes & modelling), especially of atmospheric interactions with moving objects at high speed. It encompasses the whole spectrum from take off to landing, but also orbital ascent/descent, aero heating and thermodynamics of propulsion.

(Source: ESA TD 21 and TD 18)