Overview of Lockheed Martin cryocoolers

Abstract

Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center (LM-ATC) in Palo Alto, California, has been active in space cryogenic developments for over 30 years. In prior years, work focused on stored cryogen systems for temperatures up to 125 K. As the mechanical cryocoolers matured and demonstrated reliable operation these stored cryogen systems gradually became replaced. LM-ATC is currently developing solid hydrogen systems for temperatures below 7 K [Naes L, Wu S, Cannon J. WISE solid hydrogen cryostat design overview. In: Proceedings of SPIE, cryogenic optical systems and instruments XI, vol. 5904, August, 2005], but these coolers will soon be replaced by mechanical cryocoolers. This paper will present a summary of cryocooler developments at LM-ATC and will describe the recent performance of multiple stage systems. A four-stage pulse tube cryocooler developed under contract to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been recently developed and operated at 3.8 K [Olson JR, Moore M, Champagne P, Roth E, Evtimov B, Jensen J, et al. Development of a space-type-4-stage pulse tube cryocooler for very low temperatures, Adv Cryogen Engr, vol. 50, Amer Inst of Physics, New York, in press]. Coolers with one, two and three stages have also been widely developed [Nast TC et al. Miniature pulse tube cryocooler for space applications. Cryocoolers, vol. 11. New York: Plenum Press; 2000. p. 145–54; Olson J et al. Development of a 10 K pulse tube cryocooler for space applications. In: Ross R, editor. Cryocoolers, vol. 12. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; 2003. p. 241–6; Nast TC et al. Lockheed Martin two-stage pulse tube cryocooler for GIFTS. Cryocoolers, vol. 13. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; 2005; Frank D et al. Lockheed Martin RAMOS engineering model cryocooler. Cryocoolers, vol. 13. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; 2005]. A staging approach is required to achieve very low temperatures, and also provides cooling at warmer temperatures, which is invariably beneficial in reducing heat loads to the lower temperature stages, or for cooling other system components. For example, our two-stage cooler [Nast TC et al. Lockheed Martin two-stage pulse tube cryocooler for GIFTS. Cryocoolers, vol. 13. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; 2005; Frank D et al. Lockheed Martin RAMOS engineering model cryocooler. Cryocoolers, vol. 13. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; 2005] is used to cool a low-temperature focal plane as well as a higher temperature optical sensor, using a single compressor and electronics at a substantial benefit in weight, reliability and cost.