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UTTPS (Upgraded Tracker Thermal Pump System)

Dr. Georg Schwering, Dr. Chan Hoon Chung

Astronaut Luca Parmitano taking the UTTPS to its final destination

After nearly a decade in space, the AMS-02 tracker cooling system had reached the end of its lifetime. In December 2019, a new cooling system, the Upgraded Tracker Thermal Pump System (UTTPS) was installed during a campaign of four dedicated spacewalks, the most complex extra-vehicular activity ever undertaken by NASA. The UTTPS was designed and constructed under the leadership of Prof. Schael at RWTH Aachen University, with strong support from NASA and MIT. It will enable AMS to continue operating throughout the lifetime of the ISS.

Interior view of the UTTPS
UTTPS in front of the thermo-vacuum test chamber