Abstract
The Mini-EUSO telescope, approved by ASI (Italian Space Agency) and Roscosmos (Russian Space Agency) as long-term program of space experiments to be launched on the Progress spacecraft during the Expedition 60/61 in 2019, will be placed on a nadir-facing, UV transparent window on the ISS Russian Zvezda module looking down on Earth. As one of the JEM-EUSO collaboration missions, its first objective is to observe UV light produced by UHECR (Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray) events from upper atmosphere (~ 400 km altitude), moreover, from this point of view, Mini-EUSO will perform, for the first time, high-resolution mapping of night-earth UV (300 - 400 nm) emission, focusing on terrestrial background sources, TLEs (Transient Luminous Events), bioluminescence, meteoroids burning in atmosphere, search for SQM (Strange Quark Matter) signals, as well as detecting and mapping space debris. The integration of the instrument, currently underway at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, is at an advanced stage in order to be compliant with a launch opportunity in June 2019. The on ground test results will be presented.
Highlights
Along with TA-EUSO, EUSO-Balloon and EUSO-SPB, Mini-EUSO belongs to the JEM-EUSO collaboration missions [1], which involves more than 16 countries, 93 institutes and 351 people all over the world
The JEM-EUSO collaboration aims to detect UV light produced by UHECR-induced extensive air showers (EAS) due to the interaction in atmosphere with N2 molecules from the vantage point of low Earth orbit, thereby largely increasing the effective detector volume [2]
Mini-EUSO instrument comprises a compact telescope of dimensions 37 × 37 × 62 cm3 with a large field of view (±22°), based on an optical system employing a focusing optics, a sensor array of MAPMTs (Multi Anode PhotoMultiplier Tubes) with its read-out electronics and different ancillary sensors for complementary measurements in the near infrared (NIR) (1500 - 1600 nm) and visible (VIS) (400 - 780 nm) range
Summary
Along with TA-EUSO, EUSO-Balloon and EUSO-SPB, Mini-EUSO belongs to the JEM-EUSO collaboration missions [1], which involves more than 16 countries, 93 institutes and 351 people all over the world. The JEM-EUSO collaboration aims to detect UV light produced by UHECR-induced extensive air showers (EAS) due to the interaction in atmosphere with N2 molecules from the vantage point of low Earth orbit, thereby largely increasing the effective detector volume [2]. Mini-EUSO instrument comprises a compact telescope of dimensions 37 × 37 × 62 cm with a large field of view (±22°), based on an optical system employing a focusing optics, a sensor array of MAPMTs (Multi Anode PhotoMultiplier Tubes) with its read-out electronics and different ancillary sensors for complementary measurements in the near infrared (NIR) (1500 - 1600 nm) and visible (VIS) (400 - 780 nm) range
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
