Qualification test results for the TIRS cryocooler.

Ball Aerospace has completed qualification testing of its flight Stirling-cycle mechanical cryocooler for the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), an instrument slated to fly on the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) platform. The TIRS cooler, developed under subcontract to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, consists of a sophisticated and highly reliable, two-stage, fixed regenerator Stirling cryocooler and its drive electronics. The TIRS cooler provides 2 W of 38 K cooling to the TIRS detectors and 9.8 W shield cooling to 85 K for less than 225 W total input power. Performance test results are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]