Conventional methods for supporting cold components in optical systems and instruments often lead to excessive conductive heat loads. The need for better thermal isolation while maintaining structural rigidity motivated work on a tension system utilizing high performance fibers to support a focal plane assembly in an instrument to be flown in space. Utilizing Kevlar 49 fibers in an approach referred to as fiber support technology, we were able to reduce the conducted parasitic heat loads from 85 mW to less than 2 mW while increasing the 1st resonant frequency form about 50 Hz to 700 Hz. Various radiation suppression and wiring schemes were necessary to further reduce the total parasitic heat loads on this system. This paper outlines the details of this development effort making the use of a low input power miniature mechanical cooler possible. This approach seems consistent with the 'smaller', better, cheaper, faster' attitude of the nineties.

Date Published: 14 October 1996
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 2814, Cryogenic Optical Systems and Instruments VII, (14 October 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.254142

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2814:
Cryogenic Optical Systems and Instruments VII
Lawrence G. Burriesci; James B. Heaney, Editor(s)