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arXiv · 2104.14228

Compact CubeSat Gamma-Ray Detector for GRID Mission

Jia-Xing Wen·Xu-Tao Zheng·Jian-Dong Yu·Yue-Peng Che·Dong-Xin Yang·Huai-Zhong Gao·Yi-Fei Jin·Xiang-Yun Long·Yi-Hui Liu·Da-Cheng Xu·Yu-Chong Zhang·Ming Zeng·Yang Tian·Hua Feng·Zhi Zeng·Ji-Rong Cang·Qiong Wu·Zong-Qing Zhao·Bin-Bin Zhang·Peng An·GRID collaboration
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Abstract

Gamma-Ray Integrated Detectors (GRID) mission is a student project designed to use multiple gamma-ray detectors carried by nanosatellites (CubeSats), forming a full-time all-sky gamma-ray detection network that monitors the transient gamma-ray sky in the multi-messenger astronomy era. A compact CubeSat gamma-ray detector, including its hardware and firmware, was designed and implemented for the mission. The detector employs four Gd2Al2Ga3O12 : Ce (GAGG:Ce) scintillators coupled with four silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays to achieve a high gamma-ray detection efficiency between 10 keV and 2 MeV with low power and small dimensions. The first detector designed by the undergraduate student team onboard a commercial CubeSat was launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit on October 29, 2018. The detector was in a normal observation state and accumulated data for approximately one month after on-orbit functional and performance tests, which were conducted in 2019.

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Jia-Xing Wen, Xu-Tao Zheng, Jian-Dong Yu, Yue-Peng Che, Dong-Xin Yang, Huai-Zhong Gao, Yi-Fei Jin, Xiang-Yun Long, Yi-Hui Liu, Da-Cheng Xu, Yu-Chong Zhang, Ming Zeng, Yang Tian, Hua Feng, Zhi Zeng, Ji-Rong Cang, Qiong Wu, Zong-Qing Zhao, Bin-Bin Zhang, Peng An, GRID collaboration. 2021-04-29. Compact CubeSat Gamma-Ray Detector for GRID Mission. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-021-00937-4

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