Abstract For actively cooled cryogenic systems it is usually necessary to locate the cryocooler in close proximity to the cooled assembly. This places highly demanding requirements on the cryocooler, its integration into the spacecraft, and introduces unwanted electrical, magnetic, and mechanical disturbances. A unique Cryocooler Interface System is being developed in which the cryocooler can be remotely located from the cooled elements, virtually eliminating cryocooler disturbances. This system accommodates cooling across gimballed axes, provides nearly constant temperature cooling under variable loads, can cool large area and/or distributed elements, and simplifies cooling system integration. The capability to provide cooling across a gimbal axis is important in advanced surveillance systems such as the Spaced Based IR System-Low (SBIRS-Low) Segment, a near-term Air Force program for developing and deploying a constellation of low-earth orbiting observation satellites that incorporate cooled optics mounted on a two-axis gimbal. Mounting the cryocooler on the gimbal has a number of drawbacks; the most serious are weight, vibration, and heat rejection. To address these issues, a Cryocooler Interface System is being developed under an AFRL/VSSS Phase II Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program (Contract No. F29601-99-0009) for cooling the gimbal-mounted optics on SBIRS-Low.
Cryocooler Interface System
Cryocoolers 11 ; 719-728
2002-01-01
10 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2001
|NTRS | 2017
|SPIE | 1994
|British Library Conference Proceedings | 2005
|AIRS Pulse Tube Cryocooler System
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997
|