Modular Advanced Cryocooler Electronics

ABSTRACT: The proposed effort for the Modular Advanced Cryocooler Electronics (MACE) is to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the current MACE technology to support near term insertion into a spaceborne platform. MACE will be used to drive and control the Raytheon Stirling / Pulse Tube Two-Stage (RSP2) Cryocooler. The RSP2 is of great interest to the Department of Defense because it is the only spaceflight cryocooler available that can provide appreciable refrigeration (>400 mW) at 10K. MACE is unique from other cryocooler electronics in that it is architected to support a wide range of cryocoolers. In addition to driving and controlling the above-described 10K cryocooler from Raytheon, MACE is equally applicable to the 35K Raytheon variant of RSP2. With straightforward changes to the control firmware, MACE also supports comparably sized cryocoolers from other vendors. BENEFIT: The immediate benefit to USAF and the Department of Defense is that MACE will be the first spaceflight design cryocooler electronics for the Raytheon RSP2 Cryocooler, which is the best performing 10K Cryocooler available. This program will yield a high fidelity brassboard with a part-for-part upgrade path to a spaceflight design, greatly reducing the risk for technology insertion. More generally, MACE will provide the space cryocooler user community with a control electronics platform that can support virtually any cryocooler need. MACE"s 600W drive capacity envelopes the practical power range of interest. MACE provides simultaneous temperature, vibration, and piston position control. Incorporation of a low frequency input ripple filter simplifies insertion by enabling direct connection to the primary spacecraft bus.