. 24/7 Space News .
STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Lobster-Inspired Mirror Chosen for New Gamma-Ray-Burst Mission
by Staff Writers
Leicester, UK (SPX) Oct 27, 2015


Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) will be launched by the European Space Agency for its seven-year journey in 2017.

The University of Leicester has announced the signature of a contract to develop an innovative new type of X-ray mirror for a telescope to be flown on an orbiting observatory to be launched in 2021.

The Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) is a joint Chinese-French satellite observatory. Designed to study the most powerful explosions in the universe out to the era of the first generation of stars, SVOM will locate hundreds of gamma-ray bursts signifying the deaths of massive stars.

University of Leicester scientists with its Space Research Center instrumentation and engineering staff in the Department of Physics and Astronomy have developed a unique capability to make a new kind of super-lightweight X-ray focusing optic.

Traditional X-ray mirrors for space telescopes are made of solid glass or metal and weigh tens of kilograms or more. The new 'Lobster' X-ray mirror for SVOM weighs just one kilo, and so is much easier to launch into orbit.

Professor Julian Osborne, who is leading this work at Leicester explained: "Lobsters and similar animals use reflecting mirrors to focus light in their eyes, unlike the lenses used by people. We can make man-made lobster-type mirrors with the very high degree of smoothness needed to focus X-rays, and make them robust enough to survive the rigors of a rocket launch."

The Lobster X-ray optic derives from recent work by the Space Research Center at the University in making a novel X-ray instrument to study the surface of the planet Mercury. This Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) will be launched by the European Space Agency for its seven-year journey in 2017.

Both MIXS and SVOM use square-pore microchannel plate focusing units made from glass, although MIXS has a more conventional optical design than the SVOM Lobster. Professor Mark Sims of the Space Research Center said "The design, construction and test of such microchannel plate optics have been studied by the Space Research Center for over a decade."

The University of Leicester team has secured a contract from the French Space Agency, CNES, for the manufacture of a Lobster X-ray focusing optic for SVOM that has a value of Pounds 3.8M. The final version of the optic to be launched will be delivered to CNES at the end of 2019.

SVOM will continue the work of finding gamma-ray bursts currently being done by the US/UK/Italian satellite Swift, which is now in the 11th year of its life. Scientists at the University have been making world-leading breakthroughs in the discoveries of gamma-ray bursts in the Swift era, and are looking forward to the new capabilities that SVOM will bring.

Head of Department, Professor Paul O'Brien, said: "SVOM will be launched at a very exciting time, when new ground-based observatories will enable us to learn more about these fascinating objects that will be located by SVOM. We will be working with our French and Chinese colleagues to continue to learn more about these vast explosions."


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM)
Stellar Chemistry, The Universe And All Within It






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Hidden in Plain Sight
Hannover, Germany (SPX) Sep 15, 2015
Gamma-ray pulsars are remnants of explosions that end the lives of massive stars. They are highly-magnetized and rapidly rotating compact neutron stars. Like a cosmic lighthouse they emit gamma-ray photons in a characteristic pattern that repeats with every rotation. However, since only very few gamma-ray photons are detected, finding this hidden rhythm in the arrival times of the photons ... read more


STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Watch worn by US astronaut on Moon sells for $1.6 mn

Europe-Russia Lunar mission will make them friends again

Mound near lunar south pole formed by unique volcanic process

Lunar Pox

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Landing site recommended for ExoMars 2018

You too can learn to farm on Mars

The Martian Astrobiologist

Opportunity parked for solar panels to charge up for winter

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
The Study of Science through Popular Movies

Reentry data will help improve prediction models

Hold on to your hoverboard: 'Back to the Future' is now

Journaling: Astronauts chronicle missions

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
The Last Tiangong

China aims to go deeper into space

Latest Mars film bespeaks potential of China-U.S. space cooperation

Exhibition on "father of Chinese rocketry" opens in U.S.

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
RSC Energia patented inflatable space module for ISS

Clearing the Space Fog on ISS

International Space Agencies Meet to Advance Space Exploration

Meet the International Docking Adapter

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Initial launcher assembly is completed for Arianespace's Vega mission with LISA Pathfinder

Ariane 5 is delivered for Arianespace's sixth heavy-lift mission of 2015

ORBCOMM Announces Launch Window For Second OG2 Mission

10th Anniversary of the Final Titan

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Scientists Predict that Rocky Planets Formed from "Pebbles"

NASA's K2 Finds Dead Star Vaporizing a Mini 'Planet'

Cosmic 'Death Star' is destroying a planet

Most earth-like worlds have yet to be born, according to theoretical study

STELLAR CHEMISTRY
Super-slick material makes steel better, stronger, cleaner

NASA Takes Lasercom a Step Forward

Studying Hypervelocity Impact Phenomena

Space Junk Predicted to Enter Earth's Atmosphere









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.