The scientific payload on-board the HERMES-TP and HERMES-SP CubeSat missions

TL;DR

The paper describes the design and technical solutions of the HERMES-TP and HERMES-SP CubeSat missions, which host miniaturized detectors for high-energy transient astrophysics, enabling fast localization of gamma-ray bursts in space.

Contribution

It presents the innovative payload design and integration of wide-energy-band X-ray and gamma-ray detectors within a 1U CubeSat for high-energy transient monitoring.

Findings

Successful integration of sensitive detectors in CubeSats

Wide-energy-band detection capability achieved

Precise localization of high-energy transients possible

Abstract

HERMES (High Energy Rapid Modular Ensemble of Satellites) Technological and Scientific pathfinder is a space borne mission based on a LEO constellation of nano-satellites. The 3U CubeSat buses host new miniaturized detectors to probe the temporal emission of bright high-energy transients such as Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). Fast transient localization, in a field of view of several steradians and with arcmin-level accuracy, is gained by comparing time delays among the same event detection epochs occurred on at least 3 nano-satellites. With a launch date in 2022, HERMES transient monitoring represents a keystone capability to complement the next generation of gravitational wave experiments. In this paper we will illustrate the HERMES payload design, highlighting the technical solutions adopted to allow a wide-energy-band and sensitive X-ray and gamma-ray detector to be accommodated in a CubeSat 1U volume together with its complete control electronics and data handling system.