Mission Study and Optics Development Support for Constellation X

Abstract

This document is the Final Report for NASA Cooperative Agreement NCC5-268 between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). The Agreement is entitled "Constellation X-ray Mission Study and Optics Development." The report is required by the terms of the Agreement. There were four modifications to the Agreement. The period of performance was from February 1, 1998 through March 31, 1999. The report summarizes the main areas of SAO activity. Other than the design and analysis related to the SXT Mirror (see Section 4.0), most of the work was carried out jointly with personnel from GSFC and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Consequently, we do not mean to imply that such activities were carried out exclusively by SAO. Rather, we have tried to describe the SAO participation in these efforts.The report summarizes the main areas of SAO activity. Other than the design and analysis related to the SXT Mirror (see Section 4.0), most of the work was carried out jointly with personnel from GSFC and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Consequently, we do not mean to imply that such activities were carried out exclusively by SAO. Rather, we have tried to describe the SAO participation in these efforts. As is appropriate to a Cooperative Agreement, SAO worked with GSFC in an integrated team mode. SAO was involved in the mission management, technology development, and mission definition. The organization is shown in Figure 1. While overall management responsibility resided with GSFC, scientific lead and subordinate responsibilities were shared between GSFC and SAO.