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Abstract:
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nanoMIRAX-1 is a 2U cubesat mission for X and gamma rays detection. The scientific payload of the mission (LECX – X-Ray Cosmic Explosions Locator) is an experiment for the detection of hard X-ray and gamma ray radiation in space, possibly from cosmic explosions such as Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). This experiment was initially conceived for a larger bus, but it has never materialized due to its costs. The number of detectors in the payload array was significantly decreased but it will still produce significant results for the mission PI. One exciting possibility is the detection of electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave signals detected by the LIGO/Virgo consortium. This was not known when the larger bus was being considered for this mission. Nanomirax-1 will be able to detect, with an accuracy of a few degrees for its origin, explosive cosmic events that manifest themselves mainly through the emission of hard X-rays. This location algorithm was developed in the project according to the X/gamma ray covered area on the array of four sensors in the payload camera. In particular, in the current era of multimessenger astronomy, strongly stimulated by the first detections of gravitational waves from the coalescence of compact objects, it will be extremely auspicious that experiments capable of detecting and localizing the electromagnetic counterparts of these events are patrolling the celestial sphere. The cubesat is a 2U with 1U fully for the payload. The engineering model (EM) was developed and funded under the PIPE (Program for Innovation in the Small Companies) from FAPESP – The State of São Paulo Research Support Foundation. The EM bus was developed by a cluster of small companies and LEX by the INPE and its Instrumental Astrophysics Group. The cubesat was tested for vibration and thermal gradient at INPE's AIT Lab (LIT). With functional testing performed before and after the tests. The EM uses the same electronics, components and subsystems as the flight model (FM), both for the LECX (it has 3 electronic boards) and the bus. The EM doesn't have the solar panels and the on-board antenna set. The FM is being funded by the Brazilian Space Agency – AEB and INPE. The EM was quite stressed during testing, so the FM needed to be developed with the recurrent ground qualified design, solar panels and on board antenna set. The FM will use space scientific UHF frequency and will be operated by INPE cubesat ground station at its Northeast Regional Center in the city of Natal, RN. All the subsystems, panels and on-board antenna set were delivered and a new version of the OBC data handling software is being implemented. The bus includes a GPS and a module locally designed to stabilize the cubesat and keep determining its attitude for the location of the event in the celestial sphere. Data will also be sent to Earth for pos-processing. |
