Temperature Sensing in Nanosatellites

Whether for scientific measurements, health monitoring, or feedback within a thermal control system, temperature sensing is a critical function in satellites. Among them, nanosatellites represent a particularly constrained subgroup in terms of mass, volume, and power. This paper reviews temperature sensing technologies suitable for such missions, including integrated circuit (IC) sensors, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors. Their performance characteristics and implementation constraints, including accuracy, temperature range, response time, linearity, radiation tolerance, and system-level integration complexity, are compared to highlight key trade-offs. Based on this analysis, selection criteria are defined and representative case studies reflecting both scientific payload and platform thermal monitoring scenarios are presented to support informed sensor choice for nanosatellites.