Scotch-Tape Mirror for Hard X-rays, Year 2
Project Description
The Scotch-Tape Mirror for Hard X-rays project is to test the possibility of building a grazing incidence mirror for hard X-rays (E>20 keV) using a "scotch-tape" design, in which a thin plastic tape with a specific thickness profile and a multilayer reflective coating is tightly wound into a roll. The goal is to find a low-cost way of building a telescope for hard X-rays with a very large effective area.
More »Anticipated Benefits
Anything substantially bigger than the currently flying NuSTAR and the planned Astro-H high-energy X-ray telescope is likely to be cost-prohibitive if using the current technology. Our method may thus make it possible to launch larger telescopes within acceptable cost. Any industry that uses X-ray imaging at photon energies above 20-30 keV may benefit from this cheaper mirror design.
More »Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Greenbelt, Maryland |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Maryland
