RIX Industries Collaborates with NSF NRAO on Advanced Cryocooling for Next-Generation Radio Telescope

Partnership explores thermoacoustic cryocooler technology for the ngVLA, aiming to reduce power consumption and enhance sensitivity in large-scale radio astronomy.

A group of satellite dishes are lined up in a field

RIX Industries has partnered with the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) to advance cryogenic cooling solutions for the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). This collaboration focuses on adapting RIX’s Thermoacoustic Stirling-cycle Cryocooler (TASC) technology to meet the ngVLA’s demanding thermal requirements — delivering 4 W at 20 K and 15 W at 80 K with less than 2,700 W of input power. The technology promises reduced maintenance, enhanced reliability, and up to 50% lower energy consumption compared to legacy Gifford-McMahon systems, supporting the ngVLA’s goal of enabling ultra-sensitive astronomical observations with improved operational efficiency.


Read Full Press Release here:

NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory Collaborates with RIX Industries to Advance Cryogenic Cooling Technology for the Next Generation Very Large Array

Learn more about RIX Cryocooling Technologies here.


Inquiries please contact:

Gregg Baldassarre,

Director of Business Development

E: gbaldassarre@rixindustries.com


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