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Cryogenics and Fluids Branch

• Key Features
  • Miniature turbines on gas bearings
    • Turbines balanced to rotate at up to 800,000 RPM (13 1/3 kHz), eliminating vibration
    • High power density results in low mass
  • Reverse Brayton cycle highly efficient at low temperatures
    • One to two orders of magnitude reduction in input power at 4 to 10 Kelvin
• Space Flight Experience
  • Turbo-Brayton cooler installed in the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) on the Hubble Space Telescope during Shuttle Mission STS-109, Hubble Servicing Mission 3B.
  • STS-95 HOST flight of the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) cooler on the Shuttle.

Turbo-Brayton Cooler for Nicmos

A Turbo-Brayton cooler has been installed on the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) instrument of the Hubble Space Telescope. NICMOS's original solid nitrogen cooler exhausted its supply of solid nitrogen coolant earlier than planned. The Turbo-Brayton cooler will allow the NICMOS instrument to continue studying the universe. Before being installed on the Space Telescope, the cooler was test-flown on the STS-95 HOST flight.

Photo of Nicmos Turbo-Brayton Cooler Size: 445x605

5 watt, 65 Kelvin Turbo-Brayton cooler

In this version of the Turbo-Brayton cooler, the various components are connected by lengths of tubing. This type of construction allows users a wide range of choice in how to install the sections of the cooler. For example, the cold section of the cooler could be mounted at some distance from the part that dumps the waste heat.

Larger Copies of the 5 watt, 65 Kelvin Brayton Photo

• Brayton Photo 320 x 200
• Brayton Photo 640 x 400

35/60 Kelvin Turbo-Brayton cooler

Return links:

• GSFC Coolers Page

• Cryogenics & Fluids Home Page
• People to contact for more information on specific topics.

Curator: Mark O. Kimball NASA Official: Eric A. Silk Last Updated: 09/11/2014