A-STEP: The AstroPix Sounding Rocket Technology Demonstration Payload
Daniel P. Violette, Amanda Steinhebel, Abhradeep Roy, Ryan Boggs,, Regina Caputo, David Durachka, Yasushi Fukazawa, Masaki Hashizume, Scott, Hesh, Manoj Jadhav, Carolyn Kierans, Kavic Kumar, Shin Kushima, Richard Leys,, Jessica Metcalfe, Zachary Metzler, Norito Nakano

TL;DR
A-STEP demonstrates the space readiness of AstroPix, a high-resolution CMOS sensor for gamma-ray detection, through a suborbital rocket flight to advance future gamma-ray observatories.
Contribution
This work introduces the AstroPix sensor technology and presents the first space environment test of its multi-layered prototype in a sounding rocket mission.
Findings
First space environment operation of AstroPix sensors.
Successful demonstration of multi-layer AstroPix detector in suborbital flight.
Validation of AstroPix technology for future gamma-ray telescopes.
Abstract
A next-generation medium-energy (100 keV to 100 MeV) gamma-ray observatory will greatly enhance the identification and characterization of multimessenger sources in the coming decade. Coupling gamma-ray spectroscopy, imaging, and polarization to neutrino and gravitational wave detections will develop our understanding of various astrophysical phenomena including compact object mergers, supernovae remnants, active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. An observatory operating in the MeV energy regime requires technologies that are capable of measuring Compton scattered photons and photons interacting via pair production. AstroPix is a monolithic high voltage CMOS active pixel sensor which enables future gamma-ray telescopes in this energy range. AstroPix's design is iterating towards low-power (~1.5 mW/cm), high spatial (500 microns pixel pitch) and spectral (<5 keV at 122 keV)…
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