Scientists at the Center for Space Research (CSR) say that the Japan/US Asuka X-ray astronomy satellite is functioning as expected and will soon be providing them with important data from the MIT-built cameras it carries.
Following its successful launch into an orbit of 515 km x 625 km on February 20, the satellite deployed its solar panels on February 26 and extended its large-area telescope on March 2. Full turn-on of the CSR X-ray cameras is to occur on March 17.
The novel MIT cameras incorporate charge-coupled devices, made at Lincoln Laboratory, which allow scientists to make pictures and, at the same time, measure the energy of individual X-ray photons.
Members of the CSR team involved in preparing the MIT X-ray instrument are: Dr. Marshall W. Bautz, project scientist; Christopher M. Becker (GS, Physics), Edward A. Boughan, Tye M. Brady, David Breslau, Dr. George W. Clark, Michael J. Cooper (GS, EECS), Dr. Geoffrey B. Crew, Dr. John P. Doty, Keith C. Gendreau (GS, Physics), Phillip J. Gray, Rosemary M. Hanlon, Dr. Takashi Isobe, Dr. Steve E. Kissel, Frederick E. Miller, Patrick C. Mock (GS, Physics), James R. O'Connor, Dr. Gregory M. Prigozhin, Dr. Saul A. Rappaport, Dr. Andrew Rasmussen, Dr. George R. Ricker (the project's principal investigator), Leo Rogers, Peter C. Tappan and Dr. Roland K. Vanderspek.
Participants in the Microelectronics Group (Group 87) at Lincoln Laboratory included: Dr. Barry M. Burke, Peter J. Daniels, Victor S. Dolat, Dr. James A. Gregory and Robert W. Mountain.
A version of this article appeared in the March 10, 1993 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 37, Number 25).
