Development of an Innovative System for Cryodeposit Mitigation and Redmediation

ABSTRACT: Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) will develop an innovative system to measure and control the cryodeposit layer thickness that develops on cold (~20 K) surfaces in cryogenic radiometric calibration chambers. Currently removing the cryo-layer involves a lengthy process that warms the entire cryo-system to desorb the cryo-layer that increases cost and lowers productivity. The proposed cryodeposit mitigation and remediation system includes: 1) an in-situ, interferometric-based instrument to monitor the cryodeposit layer thickness and 2) a system that utilizes pulsed infrared illumination to slow the rate of the cryo-layer formation (mitigate) and ultimately remove (remediate) cryodeposits from key optical system components. During the Phase I program PSI/UTSI demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed system. In the Phase II program the cryogenic layer thickness monitor and mitigation/remediation processes will be further refined and integrated into a TRL 5 prototype cryogenic deposit mitigation and remediation (CM&R) system. Extensive testing will be conducted to demonstrate and validate the capabilities of the system. The end result of the Phase II effort will be a validated CM&R system design ready for beta prototype development and testing at an RDT&E facility. BENEFIT: The proposed cryodeposit mitigation/remediation system will provide the aerospace industry with an innovative tool that will substantially increase the productivity of cryogenic radiometric calibration chambers by reducing maintenance activities currently required to ameliorate the effects of cryodeposit layers that form on optical surfaces during cryogenic calibration activities. The proposed cryodeposit mitigation/remediation system will therefore substantially reduce both the duration and cost of cryogenic radiometric calibration chamber test activities.