Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS)
OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid’s regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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SPIE
2015
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97874 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0290-3054 |
| _version_ | 1826215887637577728 |
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| author | Inamdar, Niraj K. Hong, Jaesub Allen, Branden Grindlay, Jonathan E. Masterson, Rebecca A. Binzel, Richard P |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inamdar, Niraj K. Hong, Jaesub Allen, Branden Grindlay, Jonathan E. Masterson, Rebecca A. Binzel, Richard P |
| author_sort | Inamdar, Niraj K. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid’s regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an instrument on OSIRIS-REx designed and built by students at MIT and Harvard. The purpose of REXIS is to collect and image sun-induced fluorescent X-rays emitted by Bennu, thereby providing spectroscopic information related to the elemental makeup of the asteroid regolith and the distribution of features over its surface. Telescopic reflectance spectra suggest a CI or CM chondrite analog meteorite class for Bennu, where this primitive nature strongly motivates its study. A number of factors, however, will influence the generation, measurement, and interpretation of the X-ray spectra measured by REXIS. These include: the compositional nature and heterogeneity of Bennu, the time-variable solar state, X-ray detector characteristics, and geometric parameters for the observations. In this paper, we will explore how these variables influence the precision to which REXIS can measure Bennu’s surface composition. By modeling the aforementioned factors, we place bounds on the expected performance of REXIS and its ability to ultimately place Bennu in an analog meteorite class. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:38:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/97874 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:38:37Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | SPIE |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/978742022-09-29T20:31:30Z Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) Inamdar, Niraj K. Hong, Jaesub Allen, Branden Grindlay, Jonathan E. Masterson, Rebecca A. Binzel, Richard P Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Space Systems Laboratory Inamdar, Niraj K. Binzel, Richard P. Masterson, Rebecca A. OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid’s regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an instrument on OSIRIS-REx designed and built by students at MIT and Harvard. The purpose of REXIS is to collect and image sun-induced fluorescent X-rays emitted by Bennu, thereby providing spectroscopic information related to the elemental makeup of the asteroid regolith and the distribution of features over its surface. Telescopic reflectance spectra suggest a CI or CM chondrite analog meteorite class for Bennu, where this primitive nature strongly motivates its study. A number of factors, however, will influence the generation, measurement, and interpretation of the X-ray spectra measured by REXIS. These include: the compositional nature and heterogeneity of Bennu, the time-variable solar state, X-ray detector characteristics, and geometric parameters for the observations. In this paper, we will explore how these variables influence the precision to which REXIS can measure Bennu’s surface composition. By modeling the aforementioned factors, we place bounds on the expected performance of REXIS and its ability to ultimately place Bennu in an analog meteorite class. Goddard Space Flight Center. OSIRIS-REx Program 2015-07-21T16:02:07Z 2015-07-21T16:02:07Z 2014-09 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/ConferencePaper 0277-786X http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97874 Inamdar, Niraj K., Richard P. Binzel, Jae Sub Hong, Branden Allen, Jonathan Grindlay, and Rebecca A. Masterson. “Modeling the Expected Performance of the REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS).” Edited by Pantazis Mouroulis and Thomas S. Pagano. Imaging Spectrometry XIX (September 15, 2014). © 2014 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0290-3054 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2062202 Proceedings of SPIE--the International Society for Optical Engineering Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf SPIE SPIE |
| spellingShingle | Inamdar, Niraj K. Hong, Jaesub Allen, Branden Grindlay, Jonathan E. Masterson, Rebecca A. Binzel, Richard P Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) |
| title | Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) |
| title_full | Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) |
| title_fullStr | Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) |
| title_short | Modeling the expected performance of the REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) |
| title_sort | modeling the expected performance of the regolith x ray imaging spectrometer rexis |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97874 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0290-3054 |
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