Lockheed Martin [LMT] unveiled a new satellite cooling system that has three times the power density as previous systems, the company said Tuesday.
Sophisticated satellite cameras and sensors need to be cooled to detect what they are intended to capture, as low as -320 F (-195 C). The new system cools electronics down that low. Smaller cryocoolers help drive down the costs of satellites and launches, Lockheed Martin said.
Photo: Lockheed Martin.
“The High Power Microcryocooler is making a large impact for small products. Our previous design was a revolution in size, and now we’re taking it further and packing it with increased power. This will make a difference for technology in space, on naval ships and aboard aircraft,” Jeffrey Olson, a research scientist at Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center, said in a statement.
This system was developed as part of the company’s project to reduce component size, allowing for more compact and high-power spacecraft payloads and smaller sensor platforms on Earth.
Smaller cryocoolers also have terrestrial applications. The higher power microcryocooler could enable larger and more sensitive infrared (IR) sensors, which are useful for very high resolution images.
Lockheed Martin highlighted the High Power Microcryocooler has a power efficiency rating that is roughly the same as lower-power coolers and delivers over 150 watts per kilogram. This improves over the previous 30-60 watts per kilogram rating for most space-rate cryocoolers, the company said.
The device weighs less than one pound and is designed for continuous operation over a 10 plus-year lifespan, the company said.