Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload

Mitchell Wages; Laurel O'Neill; Abraham D. Falcone; Joseph M. Colosimo; Ian Ashcroft; Michael Betts; William A. Bevidas; Brynn Bortree; David Nelson Burrows; Zachary E. Catlin; Sierra Deppe; Timothy R. Emeigh; Thomas Forstmeier; Derek B. Fox; Killian M. Gremling; Dennis Hartmann; Md Arman Hossen; David M. Palmer; Abigail A. Raytsis; Lukas R. Stone; Daniel Washington; Michael E. Zugger

doi:10.1117/12.3065710

Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload

Mitchell Wages
, Laurel O'Neill
, Abraham D. Falcone
, Joseph M. Colosimo
, Ian Ashcroft
, Michael Betts
, William A. Bevidas
, Brynn Bortree
, David Nelson Burrows
, Zachary E. Catlin
, Sierra Deppe
, Timothy R. Emeigh
, Thomas Forstmeier
, Derek B. Fox
, Killian M. Gremling
, Dennis Hartmann
, Md Arman Hossen
, David M. Palmer
, Abigail A. Raytsis
, Lukas R. Stone

Daniel Washington, Michael E. Zugger

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

The BlackCAT mission is a 6U CubeSat that will monitor the sky for X-ray transient events. This mission is scheduled to launch during the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026. Final assembly, spacecraft-payload integration, and testing took place during Q1-Q2 2025. The BlackCAT payload is an X-ray coded aperture telescope consisting of a coded aperture mask, a focal plane array (FPA), a detector module (DM) and the Payload Interface Board (PIB). The PIB is an in-house designed electronics board that provides an interface between the payload and spacecraft bus while providing power and control to the payload. The DM acts as a housing unit for the payload, a mechanical interface to the spacecraft, and a shield from off-axis X-rays. The FPA is made of four 550 × 550-pixel Speedster-EXD X-ray hybrid CMOS detectors (HCDs). The coded aperture mask is a nickel mesh with a gold coating and has a random pattern of opened and closed cells, allowing ∼40% X-ray transmission. The mask and FPA have both thermal and mechanical requirements that must be met to function optimally. The 6U CubeSat form factor constrains volume and mass and drives design choices for the payload. We discuss mechanical design of the payload, as well as considerations for the assembly of the payload and integration into the satellite bus.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV
Editors	Oswald H. Siegmund, Keri Hoadley
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510691582
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3065710
State	Published - Sep 18 2025
Event	24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy - San Diego, United States Duration: Aug 5 2025 → Aug 7 2025

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	13625
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego
Period	8/5/25 → 8/7/25

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Instrumentation
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.3065710

Cite this

Wages, M., O'Neill, L., Falcone, A. D., Colosimo, J. M., Ashcroft, I., Betts, M., Bevidas, W. A., Bortree, B., Burrows, D. N., Catlin, Z. E., Deppe, S., Emeigh, T. R., Forstmeier, T., Fox, D. B., Gremling, K. M., Hartmann, D., Arman Hossen, M., Palmer, D. M., Raytsis, A. A., ... Zugger, M. E. (2025). Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload. In O. H. Siegmund, & K. Hoadley (Eds.), UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV Article 1362512 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13625). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3065710

@inproceedings{f839432c385d4854915be3ef9cc5903b,

title = "Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload",

abstract = "The BlackCAT mission is a 6U CubeSat that will monitor the sky for X-ray transient events. This mission is scheduled to launch during the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026. Final assembly, spacecraft-payload integration, and testing took place during Q1-Q2 2025. The BlackCAT payload is an X-ray coded aperture telescope consisting of a coded aperture mask, a focal plane array (FPA), a detector module (DM) and the Payload Interface Board (PIB). The PIB is an in-house designed electronics board that provides an interface between the payload and spacecraft bus while providing power and control to the payload. The DM acts as a housing unit for the payload, a mechanical interface to the spacecraft, and a shield from off-axis X-rays. The FPA is made of four 550 {\texttimes} 550-pixel Speedster-EXD X-ray hybrid CMOS detectors (HCDs). The coded aperture mask is a nickel mesh with a gold coating and has a random pattern of opened and closed cells, allowing ∼40\% X-ray transmission. The mask and FPA have both thermal and mechanical requirements that must be met to function optimally. The 6U CubeSat form factor constrains volume and mass and drives design choices for the payload. We discuss mechanical design of the payload, as well as considerations for the assembly of the payload and integration into the satellite bus.",

author = "Mitchell Wages and Laurel O'Neill and Falcone, \{Abraham D.\} and Colosimo, \{Joseph M.\} and Ian Ashcroft and Michael Betts and Bevidas, \{William A.\} and Brynn Bortree and Burrows, \{David Nelson\} and Catlin, \{Zachary E.\} and Sierra Deppe and Emeigh, \{Timothy R.\} and Thomas Forstmeier and Fox, \{Derek B.\} and Gremling, \{Killian M.\} and Dennis Hartmann and \{Arman Hossen\}, Md and Palmer, \{David M.\} and Raytsis, \{Abigail A.\} and Stone, \{Lukas R.\} and Daniel Washington and Zugger, \{Michael E.\}",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "18",

doi = "10.1117/12.3065710",

language = "English (US)",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

publisher = "SPIE",

editor = "Siegmund, \{Oswald H.\} and Keri Hoadley",

booktitle = "UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV",

address = "United States",

}

Wages, M, O'Neill, L, Falcone, AD, Colosimo, JM, Ashcroft, I, Betts, M, Bevidas, WA, Bortree, B, Burrows, DN, Catlin, ZE, Deppe, S, Emeigh, TR, Forstmeier, T, Fox, DB, Gremling, KM, Hartmann, D, Arman Hossen, M, Palmer, DM, Raytsis, AA, Stone, LR, Washington, D & Zugger, ME 2025, Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload. in OH Siegmund & K Hoadley (eds), UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV., 1362512, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 13625, SPIE, 24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy, San Diego, United States, 8/5/25. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3065710

Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload. / Wages, Mitchell; O'Neill, Laurel; Falcone, Abraham D. et al.
UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV. ed. / Oswald H. Siegmund; Keri Hoadley. SPIE, 2025. 1362512 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13625).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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T1 - Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload

AU - Wages, Mitchell

AU - O'Neill, Laurel

AU - Falcone, Abraham D.

AU - Colosimo, Joseph M.

AU - Ashcroft, Ian

AU - Betts, Michael

AU - Bevidas, William A.

AU - Bortree, Brynn

AU - Burrows, David Nelson

AU - Catlin, Zachary E.

AU - Deppe, Sierra

AU - Emeigh, Timothy R.

AU - Forstmeier, Thomas

AU - Fox, Derek B.

AU - Gremling, Killian M.

AU - Hartmann, Dennis

AU - Arman Hossen, Md

AU - Palmer, David M.

AU - Raytsis, Abigail A.

AU - Stone, Lukas R.

AU - Washington, Daniel

AU - Zugger, Michael E.

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N2 - The BlackCAT mission is a 6U CubeSat that will monitor the sky for X-ray transient events. This mission is scheduled to launch during the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026. Final assembly, spacecraft-payload integration, and testing took place during Q1-Q2 2025. The BlackCAT payload is an X-ray coded aperture telescope consisting of a coded aperture mask, a focal plane array (FPA), a detector module (DM) and the Payload Interface Board (PIB). The PIB is an in-house designed electronics board that provides an interface between the payload and spacecraft bus while providing power and control to the payload. The DM acts as a housing unit for the payload, a mechanical interface to the spacecraft, and a shield from off-axis X-rays. The FPA is made of four 550 × 550-pixel Speedster-EXD X-ray hybrid CMOS detectors (HCDs). The coded aperture mask is a nickel mesh with a gold coating and has a random pattern of opened and closed cells, allowing ∼40% X-ray transmission. The mask and FPA have both thermal and mechanical requirements that must be met to function optimally. The 6U CubeSat form factor constrains volume and mass and drives design choices for the payload. We discuss mechanical design of the payload, as well as considerations for the assembly of the payload and integration into the satellite bus.

AB - The BlackCAT mission is a 6U CubeSat that will monitor the sky for X-ray transient events. This mission is scheduled to launch during the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026. Final assembly, spacecraft-payload integration, and testing took place during Q1-Q2 2025. The BlackCAT payload is an X-ray coded aperture telescope consisting of a coded aperture mask, a focal plane array (FPA), a detector module (DM) and the Payload Interface Board (PIB). The PIB is an in-house designed electronics board that provides an interface between the payload and spacecraft bus while providing power and control to the payload. The DM acts as a housing unit for the payload, a mechanical interface to the spacecraft, and a shield from off-axis X-rays. The FPA is made of four 550 × 550-pixel Speedster-EXD X-ray hybrid CMOS detectors (HCDs). The coded aperture mask is a nickel mesh with a gold coating and has a random pattern of opened and closed cells, allowing ∼40% X-ray transmission. The mask and FPA have both thermal and mechanical requirements that must be met to function optimally. The 6U CubeSat form factor constrains volume and mass and drives design choices for the payload. We discuss mechanical design of the payload, as well as considerations for the assembly of the payload and integration into the satellite bus.

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BT - UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV

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PB - SPIE

T2 - 24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy

Y2 - 5 August 2025 through 7 August 2025

ER -

Mechanical Design and Implementation of the BlackCAT Payload

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