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Thermal Performance of the XRS Helium InsertThe X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) is an instrument on the Japanese Astro-E satellite, scheduled for launch early in the year 2000. The XRS Helium Insert comprises a superfluid helium cryostat, an Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator (ADR), and the XRS calorimeters with their cold electronics. The calorimeters are capable of detecting X-rays over the energy range 0.1 to 10 keV with a resolution of 12 eV. The Helium Insert completed its performance and verification testing at Goddard in January 1999. It was shipped to Japan, where it has been integrated with the neon dewar built by Sumitomo Heavy Industries. The Helium Insert was given a challenging lifetime requirement of 2.0 years with a goal of 2.5 years. Based on the results of the thermal performance tests, the predicted on-orbit lifetime is 2.6 years with a margin of 30%. This is the result of both higher efficiency in the ADR cycle and the low temperature top-off, more than compensating for an increase in the parasitic heat load. This paper presents a summary of the key design features and the results of the thermal testing of the XRS Helium Insert.
Document ID
19990094254
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Breon, Susan R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
DiPirro, Michael J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Tuttle, James G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Shirron, Peter J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Warner, Brent A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Boyle, Robert F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Canavan, Edgar R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1999
Subject Category
Astronomy
Meeting Information
Meeting: Cryogenic Engineering
Location: Montreal
Country: Canada
Start Date: July 12, 1999
End Date: July 16, 1999
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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