Scott M. Jensen

Advanced solderless flexible thermal link

Flexible thermal links play an important role int he thermal management of cryogenically cooled components. The purpose of these links is to provide a means of transferring heat from a cooled component to a cooler reservoir with little increase in temperature. The standard soldered approach although effective proves to be time consuming and contributes to added thermal impedances which degrade the performance of the link. For system with little tolerance for temperature differences between cooled components and a cooling source this is undesirable. The authors of this paper have developed a technique by which thin metal foil or braided wire can be attached to metal end blocks without any solder using the swaging process. Swaging provides a fast, simple method for providing a low thermal impedance between the foils and blocks. This paper describes the characteristics of these thermal links in terms of length, mass, thermal resistance, flexibility, and survivability.

Sounding of the atmosphere using broadband emission radiometer (SABER): instrument overview

This paper provides an overview of the sounding of the atmosphere using broadband emission radiometer (SABER) instrument proposed by NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and the Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University (SDL/USU). SABER is a 12-channel infrared radiometer designed to measure atmospheric emissions in the 1 to 17 micrometers spectral region. Radiometric, optical, thermal, and electronic aspects of the design are discussed.

High Conductance Loop Heat Pipes for Space Application

Three high conductance Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) for the Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) were designed, fabricated and thermal vacuum tested. One LHP with ammonia working fluid was designed for heat removal from a cryocooler cold head. Two ethane LHPs were designed to reject heat from the aft and fore optics to space. Thermal performance tests were performed in a vacuum chamber with attached masses simulating actual components. Thermal tests were also conducted on the bench and in an environmental chamber. The following features of the GIFTS LHPs were observed: (a) reliable startup and steady state operation with conductance as high as 83W/°C at various temperatures; (b) precision temperature control using compensation chamber heater during thermal cycling. Heat input power and condenser temperatures were varied periodically, while evaporator was maintained at a constant temperature. Temperature of the evaporator heat input surface fluctuated only by a fraction of a degree; (c) in addition there was no thermal performance degradation after 16 month of storage. The LHPs are installed on the instrument and waiting for a launch platform.Three high conductance Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) for the Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) were designed, fabricated and thermal vacuum tested. One LHP with ammonia working fluid was designed for heat removal from a cryocooler cold head. Two ethane LHPs were designed to reject heat from the aft and fore optics to space. Thermal performance tests were performed in a vacuum chamber with attached masses simulating actual components. Thermal tests were also conducted on the bench and in an environmental chamber. The following features of the GIFTS LHPs were observed: (a) reliable startup and steady state operation with conductance as high as 83W/°C at various temperatures; (b) precision temperature control using compensation chamber heater during thermal cycling. Heat input power and condenser temperatures were varied periodically, while evaporator was maintained at a constant temperature. Temperature of the evaporator heat input surface fluctuated only by a fraction of a degree; (c) i...

SABER thermal management update

This paper addresses the current thermal management techniques of the Sounding of the Atmosphere using broadband emission radiometry (SABER) instrument. The SABER instrument is being developed jointly by NASA Langley and the Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University. This instrument will fly on the Thermosphere-Ionosphere- Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics spacecraft being built at the Applied Physics Laboratory at John Hopkins University. The infrared sensors on SABER must be cooled to 75 K for a 2 year period and at a 100 percent duty cycle. Because of SABERs stringent mass, size, and power constraints, the TRW miniature pulse tube refrigerator has been baselined to cool the focal plane assembly. A passive radiator will maintain the telescope at an average temperature near 230 K. Heat from the cryo-cooler and electronics will be dissipated by a separate radiator maintained at approximately 273 K. Approaches and advances in thermal management technology currently employed on the SABER instrument to ensure that heat loads and temperature ranges are met are also discussed.

SABER on Orbit Performance Evaluation and Lessons Learned

The Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument, launched into orbit December 7, 2001, utilized a miniature pulse‐tube cryocooler to maintain the SABER focal plane assembly (FPA) at 75 K. The limited cooling capacity of the cryocooler necessitated the development of a new never before flown Fiber Support Technology (FiST) for supporting and thermally isolating the FPA. A very precise predictive thermal modeling effort to ensure successful operation was also needed due to the very small capacity margin of the cryocooler. A high performance thermal link that minimized the temperature difference between the FPA and the cryocooler cold block and also the mechanical dynamic loading on the fragile pulse tube was developed and space qualified. This paper presents a comparison of the thermal modeling predictions with on orbit measurements, and discusses the lessons learned concerning long term performance issues of thermal isolation systems which utilize cryocoolers for cooling focal plane assemblies (FPA’s). The effect of ice deposition on the thermal blankets and other FPA cooled structures, as well as the lessons learned in dealing with this ice deposition, will also be presented.

Contamination control of the SABER cryogenic infrared telescope

The SABER instrument (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Spectroscopy) is a cryogenic infrared sensor on the TIMED spacecraft with stringent molecular and particulate contamination control requirements. The sensor measures infrared emissions from atmospheric constituents in the earth limb at altitudes ranging from 60 to 180 km using radiatively-cooled 240 K optics and a mechanically-refrigerated 75 K detector. The stray light performance requirements necessitate nearly pristine foreoptics. The cold detector in a warm sensor presents challenges in controlling the cryodeposition of water and other condensable vapors. Accordingly, SABER incorporates several unique design features and test strategies to control and measure the particulate and molecular contamination environment. These include internal witness mirrors, dedicated purge/depressurization manifolds, labyrinths, cold stops, and validated procedures for bakeout, cooldown, and warmup. The pre-launch and on-orbit contamination control performance for the SABER telescope will be reviewed.

Optical stability testing of the fiber support technology (FiST) focal plane assembly of the SABER instrument

The focal plane assembly of the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument is supported using Fiber Support Technology (FiST) which utilizes high performance fibers in tension to mechanically support and thermally isolate a cooled component from a warm environment. Details of this approach were presented in detail at SPIE meeting in Denver in 1996. The SABER team deemed it necessary to perform optical stability testing on this never-before-flown technology for supporting focal plane assemblies to determine if precise positioning could be maintained through vibration and thermal cycling. After subjecting the support system to vibration and thermal cycling, the angular orientation between the warm outer support structure and the inner cold block was measured. Since the outer support structure serves as the reference location for positioning the focal plane assembly and the cold block is where the detectors reside, it was possible to determine if FiST meets the optical stability requirements for the SABER instrument. The results from this testing are presented, discussed, and compared to the optical requirements of the SABER instrument. A brief summary of current thermal and mechanical enhancements to the system will also be discussed.

Cooling SABER: model predictions versus on-orbit performance

Utah State University/Space Dynamics Laboratory, teaming with NASA Langley, has built, tested, integrated, and launched the SABER instrument. This instrument is orbiting the Earth on board the TIMED satellite, which resides in a 600 km circular orbit. SABER utilizes a pulse tube cryocooler to cool the focal plane assembly to 75K and passive radiators to cool the remaining components of the instrument. This paper will document the thermal design and modeling of the SABER instrument and compare the modeling results with acceptance testing and on orbit performance data. Preliminary on orbit data indicates that SABER is performing as modeled and is meeting all science objectives.

Cooling SABER with a miniature pulse tube refrigerator

Utah State University/Space Dynamics Laboratory, teaming with NASA Langley Research Center, is currently building the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument. Stringent mass and power constraints, together with a greater than two year mission life, led to the selection of a TRW miniature pulse tube refrigerator to cool SABERs infrared detectors to the required temperature of 75 K. This paper provides an overview of the SABER thermal management plan and the challenges encountered in matching the refrigerator characteristics with instrument performance requirements under the broadly variant space environments expected for this mission. Innovative technologies were developed to keep heat loads within the limited cooling capacity of the miniature refrigerator, as well as mechanically isolating but thermally connecting the refrigerator cold block to the focal plane assembly (FPA). A passive radiator will maintain the SABER telescope at an average temperature of 230 K while a separate radiator will reject heat from the refrigerator and electronics at approximately 260 K. Significant breadboard tests of various components of the SABER instrument have taken place and the details of one of these will be discussed. The test included attaching a miniature mechanical refrigerator, borrowed from the Air Force, to the SABER FPA. This opportunity gave the SABER team a significant head start in learning about integrating and testing issues related with the TRW miniature pulse tube refrigerator. SABER is scheduled to be launched in January 2000 as the primary instrument of NASAs TIMED (Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) spacecraft. The TIMED program is being managed by the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University.

Fiber support technology for thermal isolation and mechanical stability

Conventional methods for supporting cold components in optical systems and instruments often lead to excessive conductive heat loads. The need for better thermal isolation while maintaining structural rigidity motivated work on a tension system utilizing high performance fibers to support a focal plane assembly in an instrument to be flown in space. Utilizing Kevlar 49 fibers in an approach referred to as fiber support technology, we were able to reduce the conducted parasitic heat loads from 85 mW to less than 2 mW while increasing the 1st resonant frequency form about 50 Hz to 700 Hz. Various radiation suppression and wiring schemes were necessary to further reduce the total parasitic heat loads on this system. This paper outlines the details of this development effort making the use of a low input power miniature mechanical cooler possible. This approach seems consistent with the smaller, better, cheaper, faster attitude of the nineties.