Publication Date:
2019-09-17
Description:
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will add polarization to the properties (time, energy, and position) observed in x-ray astronomy. A NASA Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), IXPE will measure the 28-keV polarization of a few dozen sources during the first 2 years following its 2021 launch. The IXPE Observatory includes three identical x-ray telescopes, each comprising a 4-m-focal-length (grazingincidence) mirror module assembly (MMA) and a polarization-sensitive (imaging) detector unit (DU), separated by a deployable optical bench. The Observatorys Spacecraft provides typical subsystems (mechanical, structural, thermal, power, electrical, telecommunications, etc.), an attitude determination and control subsystem for 3-axis stabilized pointing, and a command and data handling subsystem communicating with the science instrument and the Spacecraft subsystems.
Keywords:
Spacecraft Design, Testing and Performance
Type:
MSFC-E-DAA-TN72945
,
SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications; Aug 11, 2019 - Aug 15, 2019; San Diego, CA; United States|Proceedings of SPIE (ISSN 0277-786X) (e-ISSN 1996-756X); 11118; 111180V
Format:
application/pdf
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