This paper describes MEMS micromirror characterization in space environments associated with our space applications in earth observation from the International Space Station and earth's orbit satellite. The performance of the micromirror was tested for shock and vibration, stiction, outgassing from depressurization and heating, and electrostatic charging effects. We demonstrated that there is no degradation of the micromirror performance after the space environment tests. A test bed instrument equipped with the micromirrors was delivered and tested in the ISS. The results demonstrate that the proposed micromirrors are suitable for optical space systems.
The ISS-CREAM experiment is a space-borne mission designed for the precision measurement of energy and elemental composition of cosmic rays. It will be launched to the International Space Station. The Silicon Charge Detector (SCD) for the ISS-CREAM experiment is an instrument equipped with four layers of high-precision silicon pixel sensors and readout electronics arranged in such a manner that it is free of dead area. Therefore the SCD is capable of the precise measurement of elemental composition of cosmic rays with the charge resolution of δ Z ≤ 0.2e for proton (Z=1) to nickel (Z=28). We present the design and fabrication of the SCD. The SCD successfully passed the space environment test, namely thermal-vacuum and vibration tests, at the instrumentlevel. The SCD has been integrated into the ISS-CREAM payload, and the payload currently undergoes a series of space environment tests at the system-level. We present the performance of the SCD checked in-between the space environment tests at the system-level.
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