Characterization of solar X-ray response data from the REXIS instrument

The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is a student-built instrument that was flown on NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Safety, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission. During the primary science observation phase, the REXIS Solar X-ray Monitor (SXM) experienced a lower than anticipated solar x-ray count rate. Solar x-ray count decreased most prominently in the low energy region of instrument detection, and made calibrating the REXIS main spectrometer difficult. This thesis documents a root cause investigation into the cause of the low x-ray count anomaly in the SXM. Vulnerable electronic components are identified, and recommendations for hardware improvements are made to better facilitate future low-cost, high-risk instrumentation. A CAST Analysis is conducted and programmatic recommendations for future student instruments are provided.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Cummings, Andrew T.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Richard P. Binzel, Rebecca A. Masterson and Branden T. Allen.

• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

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/1721.1/128990

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/128990