Design and testing of the MIDAS spaceflight instrument

Several applications of high temperature superconductor technology have been identified for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration´s (NASA) aerospace systems. However, validation of critical superconductive properties in the space environment is necessary before this technology can be inserted into satellite systems. Researchers at NASA´s Langley Research Center have designed the Materials In Devices As Superconductors (MIDAS) experiment to evaluate the electrical characteristics of high temperature superconductive materials during extended spaceflight. The MIDAS experiment will evaluate four superconductive test circuits over a temperature range of 300 to 75 K. The MIDAS test circuit is produced by thick film printing and combines both superconductive and conventional electronics into a single, active microelectronics package designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures. All electrical measurements are performed directly on the test circuit, eliminating the need for intricate wiring and reducing thermal losses. This paper describes the design, fabrication, and testing of the primary subsystems of the MIDAS instrument.<>