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

离面光栅火箭实验（OGRE）是NASA资助的项目，旨在开发和测试适用于下一代天文X射线观测台的技术。该使命是由宾夕法尼亚州立大学（美国）领导的一项合作实验，该大学正在制造X射线光栅，并将其与戈达德空间飞行中心（美国）的收集光学器件和北安普顿（英国）XCAM有限公司制造的X射线照相机相结合。OGRE将使用一种新的X射线硅光学阵列将X射线引导到离面软X射线光栅上，该光栅将光谱分散在电子倍增电荷耦合器件（EMCCD）的焦平面上。在抛物线轨道上发射后，OGRE将在约5分钟的窗口期间观测卡佩拉的X射线光谱，目的是收集迄今为止分辨率最高的天文学软X射线光谱。开放大学一直致力于OGRE合作，描述原型相机[2]，支持飞行模型相机的设计，并开发飞行数据处理和简化算法。这项先前的工作将纳入助学金，提供继续的基础。通过监督和培训，学生将在以下一个或多个领域发挥带头作用，这些领域将根据使命的更广泛发展以及学生个人的偏好和能力来确定：描述飞行模型相机的性能;开发地面仪器和软件，以在飞行期间监控和操作相机;了解OGRE照相机系统的行为和性能;开放大学、XCAM有限公司和宾夕法尼亚州立大学之间的小组会议;支持OGRE照相机的集成、火箭的发射和飞行期间的实验;分析飞行数据，包括使命期间仪器的性能;进一步测试和开发相机中使用的EMCCD探测器，以探索其未来X射线使命（如Lynx X射线天文台）的能力。

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.