SPRITE, the first NASA-funded 12U CubeSat for astrophysics science, will use an ultraviolet light spectrograph with a photon-counting microchannel plate detector to provide spatial and spectral data on the light observed from low-redshift galaxies, active galactic nuclei, and shocked emission features of supernova remnants in the 1000Å − 1750Å bandpass. This proceedings describes recent progress on the design, implementation, and experimental evaluation of SPRITE’s electrical subsystems, particularly the high voltage power supply required to drive the microchannel plate detector. Measured experimental results for the commercial high voltage power supply module and the electronics board designed and built to control it are presented and discussed. The average voltage and voltage ripple of the high voltage power supply output when driving a resistive load that simulates the load anticipated on orbit due to the detector and a parallel voltage divider are presented. Planned revisions to the SPRITE electronics design are discussed, including modifications to be made to the high voltage power supply control board and the addition of an electronics board to handle all the interfaces between the command and data handling subsystem and the instrument electrical subsystems. SPRITE is planned to launch in early 2023 and will provide on-orbit data for the microchannel plate detector and other technologies onboard that are candidates for use on future large missions.
Slated to launch in early 2023, Supernova Remnants and Proxies for Re-Ionization Testbed Experiment (SPRITE) is the first NASA funded 12U astrophysics CubeSat payload and the first orbital astrophysics instrument to operate in the windowless Far-ultraviolet (1000 - 1750 Å) since the deployment of HST-COS. SPRITE is an imaging spectrograph with 10 arcsecond angular resolution, breaking new ground with scientific observations enabled by a compact microchannel plate detector system and advanced protected eLiF mirror coatings baselined for the LUVOIR Surveyor. To provide flexibility and customizability the spacecraft bus and spectrograph are all being designed in house at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. SPRITE features several unique mechanical subsystems such as the pump/purge system for the hermetically sealed detector housing, the release mechanism for the detector door, the release mechanism for the solar array, the solar panel design, and compact rectangular telescope. SPRITE's mechanical design meets all science requirements, the CubeSat specific requirements of commercial 12U dispenser systems, and NASA orbital debris limits. We present an overview of the design and development of the mechanical systems and mechanisms for SPRITE prior to the comprehensive design review (CDR).
The thermal analysis of the SPRITE astrophysics CubeSat will be presented. As a far-UV instrument with a precision telescope, thermal control is essential to maintain instrument focus as well as to limit molecular contamination on the optics. A thermal model was created in Thermal Desktop to simulate the conductive and radiative heat transfer effects the components will experience during the mission. Mission specific orbital and attitude parameters were also incorporated to increase model fidelity. Several model parameters were created to simulate the most extreme temperature variations SPRITE would experience. A 'cold' case and a 'hot' case were created for charging and science attitudes, utilizing the bounds of recorded Earth albedo, solar flux, and IR Planetshine values. The results of these models are presented and outline the passive and active thermal control steps that will be employed by the SPRITE team to meet requirements.
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