The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) for the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is designed to provide an unprecedented view of the solar corona, taking images that span at least 1.3 solar diameters in multiple wavelengths nearly simultaneously, at a resolution of about 1 arcsec and at a cadence of 10 seconds or better.
HEA Instruments
ProtoEXIST is a balloon-borne wide-field hard X-ray survey project, which is a prototype experiment for a next generation hard X-ray survey mission - the Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST).
To advance the field of X-ray astrophysics, future telescopes will require larger collecting area and higher angular resolution, while minimizing the mass that must be lifted into orbit. HEA scientists are working to achieve these goals by developing new mirror fabrication technologies, multi-layer coatings, and active/adjustable optics.
New detectors are needed to fully exploit the capabilities of future X-ray telescopes. Key parameters are spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution; array size; power requirements; background rejection; and susceptibility to radiation damage.
