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Development of a Cryogen-Free Continuous ADR for the Constellation-X MissionConstellation-X is a multi-satellite x-ray astronomy mission presently being planned for launch in the 2010 time frame. Each of 4 identical satellites will contain a telescope and instruments for imaging and spectroscopic analysis of both hard and soft x-rays. The X- ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (XMS) instrument will use arrays of microcalorimeters to detect X-rays with energies from 0.2 to 6 keV. The technologies under development for this instrument include Transition-Edge Sensors (TES) with multiplexed SQUID readouts and NTD-Ge detectors with JFET readouts. Both will be operated at temperatures in the 50-60 mK range and both have a projected cooling power requirement of approximately 5 microwatts. In addition, in order to meet the lifetime requirement of 6 years (with a goal of 10 years), a mechanical cryocooler will be used to provide a heat sink for the low temperature cooler. The required performance is 20 mW at 6 K, with a goal of 4 K operation. In this paper we present the development status of an adiabatic demagnetization refigerator (ADR) that meets the cooling requirements of the X M S instrument. At present we have demonstrated a 4-stage ADR that operates continuously at 50 mK using a 4.2 K helium bath as a heat sink. The cooling power is 21 microwatts at 100 mK and 6 microwatts at 50 mK. Its efficiency when operating at 50 mK is 1 1 % of Carnot (accounting for all dissipation at 4.2 K and below, but not including power dissipation in the room temperature electronics), but this is expected to rise to 25% in the next generation system in which active gas-gap heat switches are replaced with passive devices. This will reduce the peak heat rejection rate of the ADR to less than 7 mW at 6 K. Details of the ADR s design and operation, as well as the development program leading up to a flight-qualified instrument, will be discussed.
Document ID
20040015260
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Shirron, Peter
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Canavan, Ed
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
DiPirro, Michael
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Francis, John
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Jackson, Michael
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Tuttle, James
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
King, Todd
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Grabowski, Matt
(Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Lanham, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
March 14, 2003
Subject Category
Engineering (General)
Meeting Information
Meeting: Space Cryogenics Workshop
Location: Girdwood, AK
Country: United States
Start Date: September 18, 2003
End Date: September 19, 2003
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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