Thermal Performance of Stirling-Cycle Cryocoolers: A Comparison of JPL-Tested Coolers

Spacecraft cryocoolers continue to attract interest in the space science community. To date, many Stirling cycle cryocoolers have been characterized by JPL in a number of performance areas including thermal performance. A number of factors are used to evaluate the efficiency and cooling power of cryocoolers at cryogenic coldtip temperatures. A comparison of the measured thermal performance of several cryocoolers is presented.