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NEXTUP

- an innovative low-cost observatory for observing stellar EUV emission

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NExtUP has been proposed for the 2020 NASA Pioneers opportunity - a new program supporting low-cost space-based observatories with a $20M cost cap.

The NExtUP instrument package is designed to be carried by a custom spacecraft built by MOOG Inc and launched into a low-earth orbit. NExtUP would have broad reach and the ability to point to targets over two-thirds of the sky at any given time.

The NExtUP science program comprises a series of planned observations of over 200 nearby stars, with the agility to respond to target of opportunity requests and support observing campaigns by ground-based and flagship space-based instruments.

Engineering elegance at the cutting edge

 

NExtUP comprises a set of five prime-focus telescopes. Each employs an off-axis parabolic mirror focusing onto a circular format microchannel plate detector. Thin-film filters cut out optical and longer wavelength ultraviolet light. A set of baffles close to the focal plane isolate the fields of view of each telescope.

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multilayer mirror technology

 

NEXTup uses novel “multilayer” mirror coatings - a first for an astrophysical observatory

EUV light cannot be easily reflected by a conventional mirror - most of it gets absorbed rather than reflected (left). Sophisticated multilayer coatings comprising alternate layers of materials with different refractive indices can be tuned to provide much greater reflectivity in specific EUV bands than a conventional single coating mirror (right).

 

Aperiodic multilayers designed for NExtUP’s mirrors by top world experts Reflective X-ray Optics enable reflectivities in the 20-30% range and final effective areas from 20-30 cm^2 - 5-6 times higher than the last EUV astrophysics mission, the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer. Combined with much sharper imaging, NExtUP is 100 times more sensitive than EUVE.

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Proven Robust EUV Imaging Detector Design

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NExtUP employs a “microchannel plate” imaging detector - a device operating on similar principles to those employed in image intensifiers and night vision goggles.

Similar detectors have flown on numerous space missions and have been robust and proven. NExtUP’s detector is designed to count individual EUV photons that can be accumulated to assess stellar EUV fluxes.

Built by the Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley.

collaboration and Teamwork

NExtUP is a collaboration between the top experts in EUV space imaging and the building and operation of small satellite science experiments

  • Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian - Instrument design and science lead

  • Colorado University Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics - Mission operations, science deputy lead, instrument calibration

  • University of California Space Sciences Laboratory - NExtUP focal plane imaging detector

  • NASA Ames Research Center - Mission design and testing