The continuing growth of space-based communications and sensors, along with the evolution of spacecraft electronics is driving demand for thermal control and heat removal in low temperature environments. Thermacore, active in this field, has demonstrated a wide range of heat pipe/fluid systems for cryogenic thermal management, including helium at -270°C (3K), hydrogen at -250°C (23K), neon at -240°C (33K) and oxygen at -220°C (53K).
Thermacore developed one prototype heat pipe for the Stirling Orbital Refrigerator/Freezer (SOR/F) experimentation and tested it on the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS 60). The SOR/F heat pipes were proven capable of removing up to 10 W of power in space at operating temperatures between -30°C (243K) and -60°C (213K). The heat pipes were copper and used acetone as the working fluid.