[1] It was composed of four detectors that operated simultaneously at different wavelengths; all four were in use until 2009 May 15 when the Spitzer cryostat ran out of liquid helium.
[1][3][5] The telescope's primary and secondary mirrors, along with its supporting structure, were made mostly of beryllium.
[8] The cryogenic assembly of IRAC is contained in the Multiple Instrument Chamber (MIC), which also houses the other focal plane elements and the pointing calibration reference sensor.
[9] The MIC is attached to the cryostat and was intended to keep the science instruments, including IRAC, cold but also functioned to keep out stray light.
[9] The MIC is mounted to the helium chamber inside the cryostat vacuum shell, not only to efficiently keep the instruments cold but to seal out any stray light.