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Completed TRL 5 (started at 4, targeting 5)
CMOS Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (APSs) are low power, easy to fabricate, and can improve the sensitivity of gamma-ray telescopes in the keV to MeV energy regimes by an order of magnitude compared to current silicon technologies. GSFC’s investment in previous IRADs has yielded a successful ROSES proposal (APRA) that funded the development of such detectors for use in space, and a Roman Technology Fellowship (RTF) to develop an APS instrument as a hosted payload. The team has identified rideshare opportunities in Summer/Fall 2024 with the Sounding Rocket Program Office (SRPO).
The ultimate goal of this IRAD is to advance the design, build and perform functional benchtop level testing of the AstroPix Sounding Rocket Hosted Payload. To achieve this, we need the technical expertise of the team at WFF to support the engineering design of the payload.
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This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
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