Next Generation NOAA / NASA Weather Satellite Launched, ACT Named As Critical Supplier

Lancaster, PA December 8, 2016 – Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.  (ACT) announces its contribution to the recent launch of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series (GOES-R).  GOES-R is the next generation of geostationary weather satellites incorporating Harris Corporation’s new Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI).   The ABI provides three times more data and color, four times better resolution, and five times faster speed than previous technologies.  ACT’s aluminum / ammonia constant conductance heat pipes (CCHPs) are a key component to the thermal management system of the ABI.

The partnership between ACT and Harris dates back to 2006, when ACT first began manufacturing CCHPs.  Each ABI utilizes fourteen (14) unique heat pipe geometries to isothermalize mounting structures and transport excess heat from the ABI electronics to the thermal dissipation radiators.  ACT’s CCHP manufacturing program benefitted greatly from the collaboration and experiences of the team at Harris and the NASA oversight.  Since this program, ACT has continued to produce space qualified CCHPs for over thirty (30) satellites for many satellite manufacturers, and has accumulated over 15 million CCHP operating hours on orbit.

The CCHPs for the Advanced Baseline Imager utilized six unique, single or dual bore aluminum extrusions. Many of the pipes were precisely bent to complex 3-D configurations to fit into the tightly packaged ABI system.  Some of the pipes were combined into multi-pipe assemblies, utilizing low thermal resistance, soldered on, precisely machined mounting saddles.   The CCHPs were designed and built to assure constant, high performance across the satellite’s thirty year projected mission duration. By the end of the project, ACT delivered CCHPs for four satellites: GOES-R, S, T and U.

“It was great working with the team at Harris”, says Pete Dussinger, ACT’s Vice President of Strategic Product Development and the ABI CCHP project lead, “Our heat pipe expertise, along with Harris’ space systems experience, enabled us to manufacture and deliver high performance and high quality CCHPs for this national asset class satellite program.”

GOES satellites are continuously monitoring the western hemisphere and are a key asset in weather forecasting.  This next generation GOES (R, S, T, and U), carrying the advanced baseline imager, will be able to transfer more data (3X), at a higher resolution (4X), and deliver it faster (5X).  This will allow for a significant increase in forecasting accuracy and storm preparedness, nearly real-time compared to the previous thirty minute refresh cycle.

In 2011, ACT was presented the Harris Outstanding Supplier Award for its critical role in the ABI program. “We appreciate Harris’ confidence in our technology and manufacturing capabilities”, says Jon Zuo, President of ACT, “ACT’s employees are proud of the part we had to play in developing such an important national asset.”

To learn more about ACT, and its flight history of CCHPs, visit www.1-ACT.com

ABOUT ACT

ACT specializes in advanced thermal technology development and custom thermal product manufacturing. ACT designs and manufactures cold plates, HiK™ plates, heat pipes, pumped liquid and two-phase loops and thermal storage devices for customers in diverse markets including Aerospace, Electronics, Temperature Calibration, Medical Device, and Energy Recovery Systems.

ACT’s team consists of personnel with established track records in technology development, commercialization and production. Many of them were involved in the pioneering work on heat pipes, loop heat pipes and other single and two-phase heat transfer devices. They are the inventors/co-inventors on numerous U.S. and international patents and the authors/co-authors of hundreds of scientific publications.

The R&D team at ACT has engineers with backgrounds in mechanical, electrical, chemical, aerospace, nuclear, materials, manufacturing and physics. Their expertise assures we can serve wide variety of material, thermal and modeling challenges in diverse applications.

ACT’s Facility measures more than 50,000 square feet, including office, laboratory and manufacturing spaces. With ISO9001 and AS9100 certified quality system in place, the facility has designed and manufactured high quality, cost effective, thermal management solutions for dozens of mission critical satellite, and military programs as well as for numerous commercial applications. Simultaneously ACT’s broad and diverse R&D efforts are developing thermal solutions for tomorrow’s emerging technologies.

For more information about ACT, please visit www.1-ACT.com.