Inactive

MDA’s mission is to develop and deploy a layered Missile Defense System to defend the US, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from missile attacks in all phases of flight. MDA is investigating se... MDA’s mission is to develop and deploy a layered Missile Defense System to defend the US, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from missile attacks in all phases of flight. MDA is investigating several types of infrared detectors that need to be cooled to cryogenic temperatures in order to perform within specifications. Cryocoolers are the components on a spacecraft that provide this cryogenic cooling. Currently, space-based cryocoolers are designed, fabricated, and qualified in low numbers and at great cost per unit. The MDA’s Directorate for Advanced Concepts and Performance Assessments (DVS) is investigating various solutions to both reduce the cost, and increase the production rate, of space-based cryocoolers