TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS) The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) program, as well as other NASA programs, DoD efforts such as SBIRS Low, and space based commercial Earth resource imaging service providers, require passive cryogenic heat transport devices that can effectively couple (thermally) remote cryocoolers to sensor / instrument payloads of interest. This capability will have profound, positive impacts in terms of payload vibration / jitter isolation, enabling implementation of redundant coolers, coupling of multiple sensors to a common heat sink, weight, and other benefits to payload and spacecraft. In addition, NGST requires the transport device to operate at 20-30K, which has never been demonstrated prior to this Phase 1 SBIR project. The proof-of-concept Hydrogen Advanced Loop Heat Pipe (H2-ALHP) that was developed, built, and tested during this Phase 1 program, successfully demonstrated up to 5 W of heat transport over 2.5 m length at 20 to 30K. The key to its success is a TTH Research developed secondary pump concept, which accommodates unwanted parasitic heat leaks into the loop. The proposed Phase 2 effort will reduce the H2-ALHP weight to a viable level, and will characterize / quantify life issues related to the use of hydrogen as the working fluid.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS The H2-ALHP developed by TTH Research and Thermacore under the NASA/GSFC Phase 2 effort is the first-ever Hydrogen capillary pumped system. The Phase 2 H2-ALHP will be optimized for performance and weight to produce a desirable product with the following applications in mind: NASA?s Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), identifiable military applications (such as SBIRS Low), and commercial hyperspectral and panchromatic imaging for natural resource mapping / knowledge, which all require cryogenic cooling of IR sensor payloads. Earth imaging for commercial applications is a multi-billion dollar emerging industry. Publicly traded companies, such as Earth Search Sciences, Inc., are investing into partnerships to build and launch satellites to meet their imaging needs, beyond aircraft platform based capabilities. In all cases, the advantage of the Phase 2 H2-ALHP is its ability to accommodate orders of magnitude greater heat than existing heat transport devices, with the ability to control temperatures (not available in any other equivalent technology), and sufficiently small to find application in severely envelope restricted systems. TTH Research will work closely with Thermacore, Inc. (its proposed subcontractor), which has a very successful history of commercializing SBIR technologies, to assure a viable end product for NGST and the other cited applications.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip) Dr. Triem Hoang TTH Research, Inc. 505 Hampton Park Blvd., Suite J Capitol Heights , MD 20743 - 3827
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip) TTH Research, Inc. 505 Hampton Park Blvd., Suite J Capitol Heights , MD 20743 - 3827