Thermal Property Measurements of Critical Materials for SPICA Payload Module

Abstract The Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) is a pre-project of JAXA in collaboration with ESA to be launched around 2025. The 3m-class infrared telescope must be below 6K, based on scientific requirements, and features effective radiant cooling into deep space at L2 point combined with a mechanical cooler system in order to cool scientific instruments as well as the telescope. The thermal design of the SPICA payload module must involve researching and measuring the thermophysical properties of materials in order to achieve a highly reliable cooling chain. Accordingly, all critical materials, particularly FRPs were determined and their thermal properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat, and thermal expansion) measured. Subsequently, the measured values were compared with those in literature and included in a thermal model analysis. This paper introduces details of these thermal properties measurements, comparisons with values in literature, and a thermal model analysis of the SPICA payload module.