Space Industry and Business News  
Improvements In Thermal Management Of Future Electronics

"The U.S. military's future need for high-power electronics cannot be overestimated, yet the ability to control thermal loads generated in electronic systems has remained a formidable hurdle to that development," said Dr. Larry Greenberg, Northrop Grumman program manager.
by Staff Writers
Linthicum MD (SPX) Aug 05, 2008
Northrop Grumman has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and demonstrate an ultra high capacity hybrid thermal ground plane needed to overcome heat-related challenges in semiconductors employed in electronic systems.

High thermal temperatures are a key barrier in the development of next-generation military electronics, such as high-power radars, electromagnetic weapons and all-electric aircraft.

Under the initial 18-month contract, Northrop Grumman will use improved materials and techniques to transfer excess heat away from semiconductors where the heat is generated.

Specifically, the team will develop and test the feasibility of replacing solid metallic heat spreaders with an advanced passively-driven, internally liquid cooled, silicon carbide-based thermal ground plane.

"The U.S. military's future need for high-power electronics cannot be overestimated, yet the ability to control thermal loads generated in electronic systems has remained a formidable hurdle to that development," said Dr. Larry Greenberg, Northrop Grumman program manager.

"Northrop Grumman's solution will leverage a number of innovative technologies developed by our team, as well as employ our extensive experience in silicon carbide processing and etching.

"Our technical approach will produce a flexible thermal ground plane with significantly improved thermal conductivity and cooling compared to conventional copper-based heat spreaders, ultimately supporting the development of a new generation of high-performance electronic devices."

The $1.7 million, 18 month, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is for the first phase of the three-phase DARPA program. The total value of the effort, if all phases of the development program are completed, could be up to $5.2 million over three and a half years.

Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector is leading the effort. The company's teammates include the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; and Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.

Related Links
The latest in Military Technology for the 21st century at SpaceWar.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Analysis: High-tech key to Air Force role
Washington (UPI) Aug 4, 2008
The U.S. Air Force has begun deploying the heavily armed MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft in Iraq for the first time, highlighting the service's increased use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, and other high technology as it adjusts to its new roles in counterinsurgency.







  • Yahoo board re-elected after blasting by shareholders
  • China has 'nothing to fear' from Internet: White House
  • Internet Addiction Growing Around The World
  • Ex-Google workers launch Internet search rival Cuil

  • Proton Launch With Inmarsat Satellite Delayed
  • SpaceX Conducts Full Thrust Firing Of Falcon 9 Rocket
  • Superbird 7 Is Readied For Ariane 5's August Mission
  • IBEX Satellite Ready For Integration With Pegasus Launch Vehicle

  • NASA evaluates new wing sensor
  • Russia And China May Co-Design New Passenger Plane
  • China Southern Airlines managers take paycut due to oil prices
  • British PM blasts polluting 'ghost' flights

  • Defense Support Program Satellite Decommissioned
  • Raytheon Bids For USAF Command And Control Contract
  • Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Multi-Function Electronic Warfare System
  • New Military Communications System Progressing At Lockheed Martin

  • Argonne Scientists Discover New Class Of Glassy Material
  • Satgate Contracts Four Transponders At New SES ASTRA Orbital Position
  • Scientist says feathers are future of Asia construction
  • Seanodes Computing Solution In The Stars For NASA Astrophysics Group

  • Edwin Miller Leads Reusable Solid Rocket Booster Project
  • Raytheon Network Centric Systems Names Green VP Joint Operations And Integration
  • NASA Names Strain New Goddard Space Flight Center Director
  • Raytheon IDS Names Del Checcolo Vice President, Engineering

  • ESA Meets Increasing Demand For Earth Observation Data
  • Tropical Storm Edouard Steams Toward Texas And Louisiana
  • Global Air Quality Checks Delivered Hourly From Space
  • Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 Begins Mapping Oceans

  • Mobile Social Networking Global Revenues Over 3 Billion Dollars By 2013
  • GyPSii Social Networking Goes Mobile In China On Ramar Phones
  • First-Ever Free-Swimming Leatherback Turtles In New England Tagged
  • India To Soon Get Global Navigation System

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement