The Flight X-ray Camera on the NASA "OGRE" Sounding Rocket

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The Off-plane Grating Rocket Experiment (OGRE) is a NASA funded project to enable the development and testing of technologies suited for the next generation of astronomical X-ray observatories [1]. The mission is a collaborative experiment led by Penn State University (USA) who are manufacturing the X-ray gratings and combining them with collecting optics from Goddard Space Flight Centre (USA) and an X-ray camera built by XCAM Ltd in Northampton (UK). OGRE will use a novel array of X-ray silicon optics to direct X-rays onto off-plane soft X-ray gratings which disperse the spectrum across a focal plane of Electron-Multiplying ChargeCoupled Devices (EMCCDs). After launching on a parabolic trajectory, OGRE will observe the X-ray spectrum of Capella during a ~5 minute window and aims to collect the highest resolution astronomical soft X-ray spectrum to date. The Open University has been contributing to the OGRE collaboration by characterising the prototype camera [2], supporting the design of the flight model camera, and developing algorithms for in-flight data-processing and reduction. This prior work will feed into the studentship, providing a basis from which to continue. With supervision and training, the student will take the lead in one or more of the following areas, which will be determined as the project proceeds, according to the wider developments of the mission and the preferences and abilities of the individual student: Characterising the performance of the Flight Model camera; Developing ground instrumentation and software to monitor and operate the camera during its flight; Understanding the OGRE camera system's behaviour and performance; Team meetings between the Open University, XCAM Ltd and Penn State University; Supporting the integration of the OGRE camera, launch of the rocket and the experiment during flight; Analysing the flight data including performance of the instrumentation during the mission; Further testing and development of the EMCCD detectors used in the camera to explore their capabilities for future X-ray mission such as the Lynx X-ray Observatory.