J.S. Panek, J.G. Tuttle, V.Marrero, S. Mustafi, R. Edmonds, A. Gray, S. Riall
Cryogenics & Fluids Branch,
Code 552,
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, MD 20771
The recent discovery of superconducting properties in MgB2 and rapid development of small diameter steel-clad wires has opened up the possibility of enhancing the design of the baseline Astro-E2 high current lead assembly. Replacing YBCO filaments with MbB2 wires and modifying the heat sink location can give much higher margins against quench from termperature oscillations of the 4 K heat sink, although with some overall thermal penalty. The design and performance of a new lead assembly during flight qualifications is discussed, with emphasis on thermal, structural, and electrical test results.
Advances in Cryogenic Engineering: Transactions of the Cryogenic Engineering Conference - CEC, Vol. 49, ed. J. Waynert et al., pp 952 - 957 (2204).