Micro-X Sounding Rocket: Transitioning from First Flight to a Dark Matter Configuration

TL;DR

The Micro-X sounding rocket's first flight demonstrated space-based transition-edge sensors and multiplexing SQUID electronics, enabling future dark matter searches with high sensitivity in the keV range despite initial pointing issues.

Contribution

This paper reports the first space flight of Micro-X, showcasing its advanced detector technology and outlining its potential for indirect galactic dark matter detection.

Findings

Successful demonstration of space-based TES and SQUID electronics

Updated dark matter sensitivity projections based on recent observations

Potential to distinguish dark matter signals from atomic lines

Abstract

The Micro-X sounding rocket flew for the first time on July 22, 2018, becoming the first program to fly Transition-Edge Sensors and multiplexing SQUID readout electronics in space. While a rocket pointing failure led to no time on-target, the success of the flight systems was demonstrated. The successful flight operation of the instrument puts the program in a position to modify the payload for indirect galactic dark matter searches. The payload modifications are motivated by the science requirements of this observation. Micro-X can achieve world-leading sensitivity in the keV regime with a single flight. Dark matter sensitivity projections have been updated to include recent observations and the expected sensitivity of Micro-X to these observed fluxes. If a signal is seen (as seen in the X-ray satellites), Micro-X can differentiate an atomic line from a dark matter signature.