Flight-qualified solid argon cooler for the BBXRT instrument

Thomas Cygnarowicz; Michael E. Schein; David A. Lindauer; Roger D. Scarlotti; Robert Pederson

doi:10.1117/12.23056

1 November 1990 Flight-qualified solid argon cooler for the BBXRT instrument

Thomas Cygnarowicz, Michael E. Schein, David A. Lindauer, Roger D. Scarlotti, Robert Pederson

Proceedings Volume 1340, Cryogenic Optical Systems and Instruments IV; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.23056
Event: 34th Annual International Technical Symposium on Optical and Optoelectronic Applied Science and Engineering, 1990, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

A solid argon cooler (SAC) for attached Shuttle payloads has been developed and qualified to meet the need for low cost cooling of flight instruments to the temperature range of 60-120 K. The SACs have been designed and tested with the intent of flying them up to five times. Two coolers, as part of the Broad Band X-ray Telescope (BBXRT) instrument on the ASTRO-1 payload, are awaiting launch on Space Shuttle mission STS-35. This paper describes the design, testing and performance of the SAC and its vacuum maintenance system (VMS), used to maintain the argon as a solid during launch delays of up to 5 days. BBXRT cryogen system design features used to satisfy Shuttle safety requirements are discussed, along with SAC ground servicing equipment (GSE) and procedures used to fill, freeze and subcool the argon.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas Cygnarowicz, Michael E. Schein, David A. Lindauer, Roger D. Scarlotti, and Robert Pederson "Flight-qualified solid argon cooler for the BBXRT instrument", Proc. SPIE 1340, Cryogenic Optical Systems and Instruments IV, (1 November 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.23056

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