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[33.05] The High Resolution X-ray Spectrometer on the Astro-E2 mission

F. S. Porter (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA), K. Mitsuda (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan), Astro-E2/XRS Collaboration

The X-ray Spectrometer (XRS) instrument on the Astro-E2 mission is based on a high resolution non-dispersive cryogenic x-ray detector system. The detector system consists of a 32 pixel x-ray microcalorimeter array with an inherent resolving power of 1000 at 6 keV, with very high throughput, and a bandpass of <300 eV to 10 keV. The spectral resolving power represents a factor of two improvement over the detector system delivered for the original Astro-E. The flight detector system for Astro-E2 has been fabricated, qualified, and is currently undergoing functional and pre-calibration testing. Thus flight-like performance data for this new spectrometer will be presented here. In addition we will discuss measured and projected mission parameters including instrument lifetime, bandpass, effective area, ground and in-flight calibration plans and their impact on the science mission. The XRS will build on the results from Chandra and XMM, adding extended source spectroscopy, a much larger collecting area and higher resolving power at the Fe K complex, and complete spectral coverage from C K to 10 keV.

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#2
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.