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VTXO: The Virtual Telescope for X-ray Observations

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 نشر من قبل John Krizmanic
 تاريخ النشر 2020
  مجال البحث فيزياء
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The Virtual Telescope for X-ray Observations (VTXO) will use lightweight Phase Fresnel Lenses (PFLs) in a virtual X-ray telescope with $sim$1 km focal length and with $sim$50 milli-arcsecond angular resolution. VTXO is formed by using precision formation flying of two SmallSats: a smaller OpticsSat that houses the PFLs and navigation beacons while a larger DetectorSat contains an X-ray camera, a precision start tracker, and the propulsion for the formation flying. The baseline flight dynamics uses a highly elliptical supersynchronous orbit allow the formation to hold in an inertial frame around the 90,000 km apogee for 10 hours of the 32.5 hour orbit with nearly a year mission lifetime. VTXOs fine angular resolution enables measuring the environments close to the central engines of bright compact X-ray sources. This X-ray imaging capability allows for the study of the effects of dust scattering near to the central objects such as Cyg X-3 and GX 5-1, for the search for jet structure near to the compact object in X-ray novae such as Cyg X-1 and GRS 1915+105, and for the search for structure in the termination shock of in the Crab pulsar wind nebula. The VTXO SmallSat and instrument designs, mission parameters, and science performance are described. VTXO development was supported as one of the selected 2018 NASA Astrophysics SmallSat Study (AS$^3$) missions.



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The Virtual Telescope for X-ray Observations (VTXO) will use lightweight Phase Frensel Lenses (PFLs) in a virtual X-ray telescope with 1 km focal length and with nearly 50 milli-arcsecond angular resolution. Laboratory characterization of PFLs have d emonstrated near diffraction-limited angular resolution in the X-ray band, but they require long focal lengths to achieve this quality of imaging. VTXO is formed by using precision formation flying of two SmallSats: a smaller, 6U OpticsSat that houses the PFLs and navigation beacons while a larger, ESPA-class DetectorSat contains an X-ray camera, a charged-particle radiation monitor, a precision star tracker, and the propulsion for the formation flying. The baseline flight dynamics uses a highly-elliptical supersynchronous geostationary transfer orbit to allow the inertial formation to form and hold around the 90,000 km apogee for 10 hours of the 32.5-hour orbit with nearly a year mission lifetime. The guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) for the formation flying uses standard CubeSat avionics packages, a precision star tracker, imaging beacons on the OpticsSat, and a radio ranging system that also serves as an inter-satellite communication link. VTXOs fine angular resolution enables measuring the environments nearly an order of magnitude closer to the central engines of bright compact X-ray sources compared to the current state of the art. This X-ray imaging capability allows for the study of the effects of dust scattering nearer to the central objects such as Cyg X-3 and GX 5-1, for the search for jet structure nearer to the compact object in X-ray novae such as Cyg X-1 and GRS 1915+105, and for the search for structure in the termination shock of in the Crab pulsar wind nebula. The VTXO development was supported as one of the selected 2018 NASA Astrophysics SmallSat Study (AS3) missions.
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