The Cryo System Experiment (CSE), a NASA In-Space Technology Experiments Program (IN-STEP) flight experiment, was flown on Space Shuttle Discovery (STS 63) in February 1995. The experiment was developed to validate in zero-g space a 65 K cryogenic system for focal planes, optics, instruments or other equipment (gamma-ray spectrometers and infrared and submillimetre imaging instruments) that requires continuous cryogenic cooling. The overall goal of the CSE was to validate and characterize the on-orbit performance of the two thermal management technologies that comprise a hybrid cryogenic system. These thermal management technologies consist of (1) a second-generation long-life, low-vibration, Stirling-cycle 65 K cryocooler that was used to cool a simulated thermal energy storage device (TRP) and (2) a diode oxygen heat pipe thermal switch that enables physical separation between a cryogenic refrigerator and a TRP. All CSE experiment objectives and 100% of the experiment success criteria were achieved. The level of confidence provided by this flight experiment is an important milestone prior to multi-year mission commitment. Presented are generic lessons learned from the system integration of cryocoolers for a flight experiment and the recorded zero-g performance of the Stirling cryocooler and the diode oxygen heat pipe


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    Title :

    NASA IN-STEP Cryo System Experiment flight test


    Additional title:

    Kryo-System-Experiment IN-STEP, ein Weltraum-Technologie-Experiment der NASA


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Cryogenics ; 36 , 10


    Publication date :

    1996


    Size :

    10 Seiten, 1 Quelle




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English