A root cause analysis of REXIS detection efficiency loss during phase E operations

The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is a student-built instrument flown on NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Safety, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission. During main science operations, the instrument experienced detector efficiency loss in the form of loss of iron calibration source counts, which greatly affected the science output. In this thesis, a root cause investigation is performed on the loss of iron counts, and an optical light leak onto the edge of the instrument's detectors is identified as the most likely cause. A CAST analysis is then performed to identify possible organizational and cultural causes of the design that allowed for an optical light leak, and recommendations for future similar instruments (low-cost, high-risk) are made.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Lambert, Madeline(Madeline Marie)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rebecca Masterson.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127077

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/127077