REFLECTION GRATIN MODULES: ALIGNMENT AND TESTING

THE GOAL OF OUR STRATEGIC ASTROPHYSICS TECHNOLOGY (SAT) PROGRAM IS TO MATURE THE TECHNOLOGY READINESS OF OFF-PLANE X-RAY REFLECTION GRATINGS A CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY FOR X-RAY ASTROPHYSICS AS DEFINED IN THE PHYSICS OF THE COSMOS (PCOS) PROGRAM ANNUAL TECHNOLOGY REPORT (PATR). A HIGH THROUGHPUT HIGH SPECTRAL RESOLUTION X-RAY GRATING SPECTROMETER (XGS) CAN ADDRESS KEY FUTURE SCIENCE GOALS SUCH AS THE DETECTION OF THE WARM-HOT INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM (WHIM) WHICH IS THOUGHT TO CONTAIN NEARLY HALF OF ALL BARYONIC MATTER IN OUR UNIVERSE. RECENT MISSION STUDIES AT A VARIETY OF SCALES INCLUDING OBSERVATORY CLASS (THE INTERNATIONAL X-RAY OBSERVATORY; IXO) EXPLORER CLASS (THE WARM-HOT INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM EXPLORER; WHIMEX) AND PROBE CLASS (THE NOTIONAL X-RAY GRATING SPECTROMETER; N-XGS) HAVE DETERMINED APPROPRIATE XGS PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE SPECTRAL RESOLVING POWER OF 3000 (/) AND EFFECTIVE AREAUP TO 1000 CM2 OVER A ~0.3-1.5 KEV ENERGY RANGE. AN OFF-PLANE X-RAY GRATING SPECTROMETER (OP-XGS) CAN REACH THESE GOALS WHEN COUPLED WITH A LARGE AREA MODEST RESOLUTION TELESCOPE. OUR PREVIOUS STUDIES INCLUDING A SAT PROGRAM THAT ENDED EARLIER THIS YEAR HAVE IDENTIFIED A PATH FORWARD TO INCREASE THE TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVEL (TRL) OF THE OP-XGS TO TRL 6 READY FOR FLIGHT DEVELOPMENT UPON DEFINITION OF THE NEXT X-RAY MISSION. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE PCOS PROGRAM ON THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PLAN AS IT PERTAINS TO REFLECTION GRATINGS. THESE EFFORTS HAVE ENABLED DEFINITION OF KEY STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN IN THE COMING YEARS. AMONG THESE IS THE NEED FOR INCREASED FIDELITY IN THE AREAS OF GRATING ALIGNMENT AND TESTING. THE EFFORT PROPOSED HERE INTENDS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND DEVELOP OUR ALIGNMENT METHODS OUR MODULE MOUNT DESIGNS AND OUR PERFORMANCE/ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING PROCEDURES. THIS PROPOSAL LEVERAGES HEAVILY FROM PREVIOUS EFFORTS ENABLING US TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC MILESTONES THAT CAN BE OBTAINEDWITHIN A TWO YEAR SAT PROGRAM. THE SYNERGY REALIZED FROM OUR PREVIOUS AND EXISTING PROGRAMS ALLOW US TO ACCOMPLISH THESE TASKS ON A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME AND MINIMAL BUDGET.