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Active TRL 4 (started at 4, targeting 6)
Design, build, and demonstrate a 90 Kelvin 30 Watt Cryocooler System including the mechanical and control electronics. A high fidelity prototype will be designed, built, and demonstrated under this SBIR Phase III contract. This scale is suitable for a flight demonstration and incorporates lesson's learned and advancements achieved in prior Reverse Turbo-Brayton Cryocooler development and demonstration contracts for 90 Kelvin and 20 Kelvin applications resulting in a TRL-6 integrated system ready for infusion into a flight demonstration.
A 90K 30W cryocooler is necessary to demonstrate in-space ZBO Liquid Hydrogen storage using 2-stage cooling to TRL-7. This development will achieve TRL-6 demonstration of a complete RTB cryocooler system including TMU and CCE.
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