Cryocoolers
Northrop Grumman Space Systems
Northrop Grumman's pulse tube cryocoolers provide high reliability for critical space missions, operating without moving parts for extended lifespans.
Key figurescomparable across the catalogue
- Mass
- 4.5 kg
- Power
- 180 W
Normalised to common units so this product can be compared with others in its category. The supplier's own wording is below.
As published by the supplier
- On-orbit operation
- More than 300 combined years
- Operating mechanism
- Without moving parts
- Applications
- Missile defense, climate science, astronomy, weather tracking and prediction
- Scalability
- Scalable for large-scale and robust spacecraft, and for smaller, more proliferated spacecraft designs
- Flight heritage
- NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
- Cooling range
- 1.7 to 200 Kelvin
- Interface
- RS422 and 1553
- Refrigeration Capacity
- 2 W at 45 K
- Refrigeration Capacity (2)
- 8 W at 77 K
- Refrigeration Capacity (3)
- 23 W at 150 K
- Compressor input power
- Up to 180 W
- Reliability
- > 90% at 87,600 hours (10 years)
- Exported Vibration
- < 50 mN drive axis
- Exported Vibration (2)
- < 200 mN pulse tube axis
- Mass (single stage)
- < 4.5 kg
- Mass (electronics)
- < 3.8 kg
About
Northrop Grumman’s pulse tube cryocoolers are designed for high reliability in critical space missions, including applications in missile defense, climate science, astronomy, and weather tracking and prediction. These cryocoolers have a significant flight heritage, having operated on-orbit for more than 300 combined years. A key feature of these pulse tube cryocoolers is their operation without moving parts, which contributes to their exceptional longevity, often exceeding their designed lifespan many times over without any degradation in performance. They are capable of supporting demanding and complex space missions, such as NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The designs are scalable, making them suitable for both large-scale, robust spacecraft and smaller, more proliferated spacecraft designs.
Documentation
Need the full ICD, test reports or a specific revision? Ask the supplier directly.