We describe an experiment aimed at testing the long term survivability of high temperature superconductors (HTSCs) in space. The experiment consists of a thin YBCO film integrated with a cryocooler. The experiment was launched into orbit aboard the TECHSAT II satellite in July 1998. Since then, the superconducting film was tested periodically, and has shown little or no degradation of its properties. Our experiment should provide the basic long term survivability data needed for advanced applications of HTSC in space, in the field of satellite communications.
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Polturak et al. (1999) studied this question.
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