Thermal Control of Ground Based Midcourse Defense Interceptor Subsystems

The thermal management used in today's reentry vehicles, interceptors, and their payload sensors, primarily insulation materials and component separation, may no longer be adequate for future systems. High packaging densities and electronics miniaturization techniques, required to satisfy system's ever-increasing computing powers is driving this need. kTC proposes a technology development of a material with five times the conductivity of aluminum at a 20% lower density. This material will permit the design of a high performance and high thermal density electronic systems for evolving systems. The conductivity of the proposed material system will exceed 1000 W/mK, have a mass density less than 2.5 g/cm3, and have stiffness and strength properties equivalent or better than existing materials. This proposed effort will develop a material system that can be specifically designed to satisfy the requirements of current and future airborne and spaceborne electronic systems.