Advanced Heat Rejection Methods for Space Cryocoolers

The South Bay Science and Technology Corp (SBSTC), teamed with Raytheon proposes Advanced Heat Rejection Methods for Space Cryocoolers Phase II Program to design, fabricate, and test of an advanced High Capacity Expander, incorporating the advanced heat rejection techniques derived in Phase I. The objective of this Phase II Program is to develop a cryocooler with highly efficient thermal management design features as part of a system solution for EO space payload power and mass reduction. The approach is to upgrade the current expander brassboard with the following key improvements: (1) Refit the expander with a new piston and matching liner, and (2) Replace the existing expander housing with a lower thermal resistance between the internal working gas and the environmental rejection temperature interfaces. The use of an advanced, high conductivity material for the compressor core and expander core will also be considered.