<title>XMM flight model mirror module testing</title>

Abstract

In the frame of the X-ray Multi Mirror Mission (XMM), the second European Space Agency (ESA) cornerstone project, in total five Flight Models of the Mirror Module have been built. The Mirror Modules are the optical heart of the satellite. Each Mirror Module contains 58 X-ray optical quality Mirror Shells which have been produced and integrated by Media Lano. Each of these Mirror Modules has been tested in the Centre Spatial de Liege (CSL) FOCAL-X facility. The goal of these tests was to measure the optical performance of the Mirror Modules under simulated launch and in-orbit configurations, and to perform some calibration on the Mirror Modules. To achieve these goals, a full EUV (58.4 nm) collimated beam is used to assess the optical characteristic in a representative flight configuration. The X-ray performance is controlled by means of an X-ray pencil beam and an X-ray collimator. The pencil beam is used for the determination of the Mirror Shell position, wing scattering and X-ray reflectivity measurements, the later one for the effective area measurement over 1 .5 to 8 keV energy range. This paper mainly deals with the latest results achieved on the Flight Model 4 Mirror Assembly and the fifth Flight Mirror Module. The first one is integrated on the spacecraft, the second has been built to serve as an additional spare flight MM of the highest quality and to further develop the mirror module production and measurement process. After the presentation of these test results, the lessons learnt from the manufacturing and the testing of the mirrors will be presented.

Design and analysis of mirror modules for IXO and future X-ray telescopes

“…This effect, which renders the module untestable in the horizontal orientation, can be mitigated by (1) supporting the module with a stiffening structure during testing (2) reducing the module radial size as described in section 2.3 or (3) testing the module in a vertical orientation. Vertical testing could be accomplished by testing in Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths [8], a vertical scanning X-ray beam, or a large aperture vertical X-ray beamline facility. Further development is required in this area.…”

Design and analysis of mirror modules for IXO and beyond

“…This effect, which renders the module untestable in the horizontal orientation, can be mitigated by (1) supporting the module with a stiffening structure during testing (2) reducing the module radial size as described in section 2.3 or (3) testing the module in a vertical orientation. Vertical testing could be accomplished testing in Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths [8], a vertical scanning X-ray beam, or a large aperture vertical X-ray beamline facility. Further development is required in this area.…”

Precision electroforming mirrors open new vistas, both tiny and cosmic

“…We developed high-precision electroforming (e-forming) replication technology to make mirrors of the necessary quality, size, and performance requested by the scientific community (see Figure 1). 1 In the e-forming process, metal ions from an anode are deposited through electrolyte solution onto an electroconductive surface called a master. A metal skin is built up to desired thickness and then removed from the master, forming a self-supporting structure.…”