Reaching 1kW: Inside Iris Technology’s Quest to Power the Future of Deep Space Cooling
What does it take to make deep space possible?
At Iris Technology, it starts with relentless innovation and record-shattering engineering.
Pioneering the Next Generation of Cryocooler Control
Space missions demand precision. The faintest cosmic signals depend on detectors operating at just a few degrees above absolute zero. Behind that delicate balance lies a powerful, unseen force: best-in-class cryocooler control electronics (CCEs).
The Challenge: Ultra-Cold, Ultra-Reliable, Ultra-Powerful
As astrophysics pushes boundaries, yesterday’s electronics can’t keep up. Requirements for thermal management and cryocooling system performance demand more power of up to 1kW. For years, Iris Technology’s control hardware powered science’s boldest missions with the ICE-G2 family. Now, cosmic ambitions call for further advancements in technology.
“How do you cool the most sensitive detectors on Earth’s most advanced space telescopes — eight times farther and colder than ever before?”
Our Journey: From Heritage to Breakthrough
We started with proven foundations. Our ICE-G2-100 and ICE-G2-200 set reliability benchmarks for space missions worldwide. But our vision was bolder: scale power output without sacrificing efficiency or mission confidence.
Phase 1: Validated high-current, high-voltage output stages — demonstrated impressive performance beyond 1kW.
Phase 2: Built advanced input ripple filtering, reducing “noise” for more stable performance.
Next: Integrating it all — FPGA-based control, robust power management, and best-in-class EMI filtering — that mission teams can trust.
Breakthrough Results: Lab-Proven, Mission-Ready
ICE-G2-1000 isn’t an upgrade — it’s a leap. Our latest generation shattered previous barriers:
1,000W+ output power: Supporting next-gen detector arrays and scientific instruments beyond what was possible before.
Exceptional efficiency: Reduced thermal losses means longer lifetimes, less risk, and lower total mission cost.
Seamless integration: Retaining the ICE-G2 family’s plug-and-play compatibility and reliability record.
<1000W scalable architecture: Rapidly adapts to quick turn-around missions, enabling flexible response to a wide range of power requirements.
Real-World Validation: More Than a White Paper
Our roadmap and results are peer-reviewed and mission-tested, as shared at the recent CEC conference. The feedback is clear — ICE-G2-1000 sets a new standard for high-power CCEs in space science.
Why It Matters:
For mission planners and system engineers, every watt and every hour of reliability means more data, more discoveries, and fewer worries about failure at the farthest reaches of space.
What’s Next: Innovation Without Limits
Our engineering team is pushing even further — working on smart control features, advanced vibration cancellation, and powerful system telemetry. We’re teaming with leading space instrument engineers to ensure future missions can ask for more — confident we’re ready to deliver.
Ready to Collaborate?
We know deep space is unforgiving, and there’s no room for compromise.
Let’s make your mission a breakthrough.
Reach out to our team of engineers today for technical specifications, case studies, or a deep-dive into what the ICE-G2-1000 can do for your program.
Did You Know?
Previous ICE-G2 units have chalked up over a decade of flawless performance on flagship NASA and ESA missions. ICE-G2-1000 continues that legacy — now with five times the electrical power.