SMILE SXI

Soft X-ray Imager

SXI is the X-rax instrument on the Chinese-European Mission SMILE
(Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer)

VISIT PROJECT SITE

ROLE OF THE INSTITUTE FOR DATA SCIENCE

> Thermal design of SXI

> Imaging software

> Data analysis and interpretation

Project lead at I4Ds: Säm Krucker

Partners: FHNW IPP, ZHAW, University of Leicester, Koegl Space, Space Acoustics

Funding: Swiss Prodex

Start: December 2018
Launch: 2025

Keywords: space sciences, heliophysics, space weather, Smile mission

SUMMARY

The space mission SMILE will orbit the Earth in an elliptical pathway from 5000 km above the Earth to one third of the distance to the moon. While previous studies used observations from within or around Earth’s magnetic field, SMILE will take images and movies from outside of Earth’s protective magnetic shield. We will see the region where the solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field. With these global and time dependent images, SMILE will revolutionize our understanding of the influences of space weather on our planet.

PEOPLE @FHNW WHO WORK ON SXI

Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Gröbelbauer (IPP)

Maschinenbauingenieur

more information

Prof. Dr. Säm Krucker (I4DS)

Astrophysicist

more information

Oliver Studer (IPP)

Master Student

Florian Wirz (IPP)

Master Student

PEOPLE @FHNW WHO WORKED ON SXI BEFORE

Anya Liebendörfer, until 2021
Manela Dreier, until 2021
Nico Gradwohl, until 2020
Matthias Fankhauser, until 2019

OPEN RESOURCES AND RESULTS

Presentation SMILE SXI at Transfer Transparent

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

Solar activity in ultraviolet wavelength

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

A solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

Image processing techniques are needed for separating the coronal mass ejection from the star field

Coronal mass ejections may create beautiful auroras but also disrupt satellites, radio communication and even electrical power grids.

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

VISUALS AND AUDIO

The SMILE spacecraft will carry two imaging instruments – the wide field of view soft X-ray imager (SXI) and an auroral ultraviolet imager (UVI) – and an in situ measurement package that will work in conjunction with the imagers to explore the properties of the solar wind. Image credit: CAS/ESA

The Soft X-ray Imager SXI is one of four instuments onboard the SMILE spacecraft. It is a wide-field lobster-eye telescope with two X-ray-sensitive CCD detectors observing emissions from charged particles hitting the Earth’s magnetospheric boundaries. The FHNW astro-helio group will build the radiator for cooling the X-ray detectors and develop the imaging software. The four CAD-images above show the SXI instrument and the radiator. Image credit: U. Leicester, UK

Official video of the ESA-Chinese Academy of Sciences SMILE mission presented by NSSC. View video on YouTube

SMILE is a joint China – ESA mission to study the impact of the solar wind on the Earth’s magnetosphere. Artist’s conception by ESA/ATG medialab

Auroras (polar lights) are one example of solar wind impacting the Earth. However, charged particles from the sun may affect our planet in many ways. Technology in space, e.g. satellites, is particularly at risk. Image: ESA/NASA

7. Februar 2023: Das Flugmodells unseres kryogenen Radiators wurde abgenommen. Mit dabei waren der Projektpartner Koegl Space sowie Beteiligte der ESA. Nun soll der Radiator an der University of Leicester mit dem Soft X-ray-Imager SXI zusammengebaut werden. SXI ist das grösste Instrument, das 2025 an Bord der chinesisch-europäischen Sonnenmission SMILE in den Weltraum starten wird.

Da jeder Schritt in der Entwicklung eines solchen Instrumentes metikulös dokumentiert werden muss, besitzen wir Bilder davon in sehr guter Qualität.

Bilder: Stefan Koegl, Koegl Space

26.November 2020: Nach dem Zusammenbau des Structure and Thermal Model (STM) von unserem Radiator Assembly (RadA) im Sommer, konnten wir im Oktober / November erfolgreich den Shock und Vibration Test an der FHNW durchführen. Trotz der Corona bedingten Einschränkungen hat alles sehr gut geklappt.

Nach diversen weiteren Tests wurde das RadA STM gereinigt und verpackt.

Heute haben wir heute das zugehörige Datenpaket mit mehr als 30 Dokumenten verschickt, für die Abnahme am 01.12.20 durch University of Leicester (UoL) und ESA /Prodex.
Die Auslieferung ist für den 07.12.2020 geplant.

Das MLI (Multi Layer Insulation) für das SXI STM, das unter unserer technischen Führung Teil des SXI Thermal Subsystems ist, wurde am 10.11.20 abgenommen und wird in den nächsten Tagen an UoL geliefert.
Somit wären dann alle Hardware Lieferungen für das SMILE SXI STM unter unserer Verantwortung komplett. Anfang 2021 starten wir dann voraussichtlich in die Phase C Extension die derzeit im Gespräch mit Prodex / SSO ist.

Bilder und Text: Stefan Koegl, Koegl Space

April 2022: The SMILE payload module ready for the thermal- and the vibration tests, featuring the X-ray telescope SXS. The Swiss contribution is the radiator assembly behind the red protective device. See our logos from FHNW, ZHAW, Space Acoustics and KOEGL Space.

Image: Stefan Koegl, Koegl Space

Video with the highlights from the test campaign of the Smile payload module at Airbus Madrid and the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, October 2021 – March 2022. For some tests, the red protective device has been removed, and you can see the white radiator assemby produced at FHNW, for example at minute 3:08.

Video: ESA/Airbus/Lightcurve Films