Radiative cryogenic cooler for Thematic Mapper

This paper reports on the development of a two-stage radiative cooler for infrared detectors designed to operate in polar, sun-synchronous, low-earth orbit. Novelty is evident in three areas of the design; radiator/shield geometry, contamination protection, and provision for detector cooling in ambient air. An overview of the design is presented along with the results of thermal, structural and contamination control tests.