MHI Technological Prowess Shines in Advancing XRISM Satellite’s Cosmic Exploration”
Mitsubishi MHI Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) played a pivotal role in advancing technology for the first imagery acquisition conducted by the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) Satellite, as announced by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on January 5 (Note1).
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MHI
MHI’s technological contributions supported the XRISM satellite’s onboard soft X-ray imager (Xtend) and soft X-ray spectrometer (Resolve) in acquiring data on the distribution and chemical composition of high-temperature plasma weaving through galaxies.
XRISM, developed by JAXA, has a mission to intricately document the formation of stars, galaxies, and galaxy clusters. As the manufacturer of the mission instruments, MHI took charge of designing and producing Xtend’s X-ray charge coupled devices (CCD) (Note2) detector, along with the data processors for Xtend and Resolve. XRISM, in collaboration with JAXA’s “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon” (SLIM), was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on MHI’s H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 47 (H-IIA F47) on September 7, 2023 (Note3).
The high-precision placement and assembly of Xtend’s X-ray CCD camera array, made possible by MHI, allowed for a wide viewing coverage in a single observation, a feat that previously required multiple X-ray observations.
The mission data processors utilized on both Xtend and Resolve are “SOI-SOC2” satellite-mounted microprocessor units (MPUs), a joint development by JAXA and MHI. These processors exhibit exceptional reliability in space environments, featuring high radiation resistance capability and ensuring high-speed data processing.
