Iris Technology In MDA TechUpdate Spring 2010

08/11/10

By Joe Singleton, MDA TechUpdate
Spring 2010

A team of California-based engineers has developed precise and highly versatile electronic components capable of eliminating disruptive vibrations that can come from the cooling systems used in high-performance sensors in satellites and surveillance equipment.

The company behind the engineering team, Iris Technology Corporation (Irvine, CA), packages radiation-hardened refrigeration electronics into units called Modular Advanced Cryocooler Electronics, or MACE. These control modules can be built to user specifications and can include electronics capable of handling any power requirements for low- and high-end sensors and satellites (generally between100 and 1,000 Watts of input power).

Vibrations that come from cryocooling systems can rattle sensors and result in blurred images. Iris’ simple solution to the vibration problem comes in the form of a modular product that can precisely measure cryocooler-induced vibrations and then cancel them out by introducing counter vibrations. The modular technology comes in the form of two key components: a device that measures a cryocooler’s force and temperature, and a device that controls a motor to counter vibrations. This modular approach means that these Iris components can be placed in virtually any sensor-cryocooler configuration, including where multiple sensors or coolers are involved.

Read the rest of the article here.