LECX: a cubesat experiment to detect and localize cosmic explosions in hard X-rays

Author(s):Show less -

Braga, J. ^[1] ; Durao, O. S. C. ^[2] ; Castro, M. ^[1] ; D'Amico, F. ^[1] ; Stecchini, P. E. ^[1] ; Amirabile, S. ^[1] ; Gonzalez Blanco, F. ^[1] ; Strauss, C. ^[1] ; Silva, W. ^[3] ; Schad, V. R. ^[4] ; Reitano, L. A. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Inst Nacl Pesquisas Espaciais, Av Astronautas 1758, BR-12227010 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

^[2] CRON Sistemas & Tecnol Ltda, Av Andromeda 693, Sl 708, Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Atlas Software & Solucoes Ltda, Rua Danubio 217, Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

^[4] Horus Eye Tech Engn Sistemas, R Prof Roberval Froes 390, Sl 202, Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; v. 493, n. 4, p. 4852-4860, APR 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

With the advent of the nanosat/cubesat revolution, new opportunities have appeared to develop and launch small (similar to 1000 cm(3)), low-cost (similar to US\$ 1M) experiments in space in very short time frames (similar to 2 yr). In the field of high-energy astrophysics, in particular, it is a considerable challenge to design instruments with compelling science and competitive capabilities that can fit in very small satellite buses, such as a cubesat platform, and operate them with very limited resources. Here, we describe a hard X-ray (30-200 keV) experiment, LECX (`Localizador de Explosoes Cosmicas de Raios X' - Locator of X-Ray Cosmic Explosions), that is capable of detecting and localizing within a few degrees events like gamma-ray bursts and other explosive phenomena in a 2U-cubesat platform, at a rate of similar to 5 events per year. In the current gravitational wave era of astronomy, a constellation or swarm of small spacecraft carrying instruments such as LECX can be a very cost-effective way to search for electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave events produced by the coalescence of compact objects. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/13551-6 - Development of the imaging system of the protoMIRAX experiment and determination of dynamic parameters for the black hole candidate 1E1740.7-2942 through the iron K alfa line
• Grantee: Paulo Eduardo Freire Stecchini
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 17/09800-0 - Space missions development using cube and nanosats
• Grantee: Otavio Santos Cupertino Durão
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE