Development of a Superconductor-Based Thermostatic Switch for Space Missions****

该Engage项目旨在开发一种新型的开关，专用于执行月球任务的无人航天器，并适用于各种空间任务。 太空和月球环境的低温性质需要电子开关，该开关由航天器经历的变化的温度被动地控制。 这一技术要求是空间飞行任务面临的普遍挑战，特别是在减少有效载荷尺寸从而降低使命成本方面。Canadensys Aerospace Corporation是一家专门从事空间使命开发和中小型航天器所用技术研发的航空航天公司。 我们的项目目标是设计和演示一个在规定温度（-130 ℃至-150 ℃）下工作的原型开关。我们的方法是利用铜氧化物超导体的高和可调的超导转变温度，并建立一个基于超导抗磁性的机电开关器件。如果成功开发，这种新型的开关可以被Canadensys商业化，成为航天工业的利基产品，为一般的航天任务带来关键的技术利益。

This Engage project is aimed at the development of a novel type of thermostatic switch, dedicated for use in unmanned spacecraft for lunar missions and applicable in a wide range of space missions. The cryogenic nature of space and lunar environments requires electronic switching that is passively controlled by the varying temperature experienced by the spacecraft. This technical requirement is a prevalent challenge for space missions, particularly in terms of reducing payload size and thus mission cost. Canadensys Aerospace Corporation is an aerospace company specializing in space mission development and in the R&D of technologies used in small-to-medium sized spacecraft. Our project goal is the design and demonstration of a prototype switch that operates at prescribed temperatures (in the range of -130C to -150C). Our approach is to exploit the high and tunable superconducting transition temperatures of copper-oxide superconductors, and build an electromechanical switching device based the superconducting diamagnetism. If successfully developed, this novel type of thermostatic switch can be commercialized by Canadensys into a niche product for the space industry, with crucial technological benefits for space missions in general.************