SIGNIFICANT EVENTS - FUTURE FLIGHT PROGRAM
03/10/00

Cold Shake Dewar Extends Shake Test Capability to Low Temperatures

The JPL Probe team completed its liquid helium temperature checkout of the Cold Shake Dewar that is capable of shaking flight instruments at launch loads. The Cold Shake Dewar hold time for liquid helium exceeded 20 hours when filled with liquid helium at 4K. The dewar was also successfully cooled to less that 1.5K by pumping the boil-off vapor. This is the first time JPL has had a test dewar that would allow developers to run launch-level vibration tests below liquid nitrogen temperatures (near 77K).