SUMIT (SuperMirror Imaging Telescope experiment) - Test flight

The Nagoya University is pursuing the developing of a position sensitive scintillation counter as focal plane detector of hard X-ray telescope onboard a balloon borne experiment.

This detector consists of a NaI(TI) scintillator and position sensitive photo-multiplier tube.

The focal plane detector has to have high efficiency in hard X-ray region, enough position resolution and detection area.

The detector has 6 cm diameter window and it corresponds to 25 arcmin field of view, and it is enough lager than the that of telescope, which is 12 arcmin in FWHM.

This balloon borne experiment for observation of the background was performed and 3 hours of background data was obtained.

Balloon launched on: 5/25/2005 at 18:56 JST
Launch site: Sanriku Balloon Center, Iwate, Japan  
Balloon launched by: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon model B200 200.000 M3
Flight identification number: B200-4
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 5/25/2005
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): ~ 4h
Landing site: In the ocean shore near Sanriku, Japan
Payload weight: ~ 300 kg

This flight was intended as a technological test for the verification of functions of instruments at balloon altitude.

Instead of the full gear gondola structure a small one was used as depicted in the scheme at left (click to enlarge).

The instruments tested includes Hard X-ray Imager, SD-CCD detector, attitude sensors, telemetry/command systems, other common systems, batteries, and part of the attitude actuators.

• NUSMIT web site Nagoya University
• A challenge to the highest balloon altitude Advances in Space Research 49 (2012) 613-620
• Ballooning activities in Japan Advances in Space Research 42 (2008) 1619