Soft X-ray astronomy payload for use with satellites

Abstract

General system considerations for the design of a payload for observations in soft X-ray astronomy using satellites are presented. Analysis of such a system is carried out under three broad aspects: the design of a thin window gas proportional counter system with the associated collimator, the gas control unit with its electronics and the pulse processing circuitry including the telemetry interface. Based on the requirements of sensitivity and low secondary background effects as well as the constraints imposed by spinning satellites from observational standpoint, a viable system is evolved.