Space Cryogenic Refrigerator System (SCRS) Thermal Performance Test Results

The Space Cryogenic Refrigerator System (SCRS) is a Split-Stirling Cryocooler developed by Lockheed and Lucas Aerospace. The cooler uses two 20-mm compressors coupled to two 10-mm displacers via transfer tubes. It is required to produce 2W of thermal cooling at an instrument interface temperature of 65K for less than 100W of input power into the cryocooler’s controller. The controller uses Lockheed’s proprietary Digital Error Correction (DECS) control system to provide cryocooler operation and vibration control.