To The Space
Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) Instrument
The Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) stands as a pivotal component within the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission, a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), set to launch in 2025.
SMILE LAUNCHES IN:
About SMILE SXI Project
SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer)
The mission’s Critical Design Review was successfully completed in 2023. Engineers are in the final stages of testing flight models of different parts of the spacecraft. The integration and testing of the entire spacecraft is planned to start towards the end of 2024.
SMILE SXI
KEY FEATURES
SXI SCIENCE
SXI captures high-resolution soft X-ray images, revealing intricate details of the Earth's magnetospheric processes.
SXI DESIGN
SXI has a compact design using advanced lightweigth optics, and large are X-Ray sensitive detectors.
International Collaboration
Led by the University of Leicester, SXI is a testament to global collaboration, involving organizations from the UK, Europe, China, and the United States.
SMILE SXI
Mission Context
Contribution to SMILE
SXI plays a pivotal role in SMILE's mission by capturing soft X-ray emissions from the Earth's magnetosphere, contributing to the comprehensive study of space weather dynamics.
Orbital Characteristics
SMILE will initially be launched into low Earth orbit before transferring to a highly elliptical final orbit, with an orbital period of around 51 hours. SXI science operations occur above an altitude of 50,000 km during the spacecraft's visibility period of approximately 42 hours per orbit. SMILE has a nominal operational lifespan of 3 years, with a maximum potential lifespan of 7 years, before the spacecraft is de-orbited.
SMILE AND ADDITIONAL SCIENCE
Learn more about exciting developments towards a Data Fusion facility, transient hunting and more.
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23 April 2024
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