Solar Neutron TRACking Instrument (SONTRAC)

The goal of the SOlar Neutron TRACking (SONTRAC) proposal is to advance the current instrument development to provide a fully-integrated (5-cm)3 prototype that demonstrates suitability for SmallSAT opportunities by the end of this three-year program. The instrument will be augmented by the development of an in-house digital processing unit (DPU) incorporating off-the-shelf ASICs that will be fully demonstrated at an accelerator beam, thus raising the instrument to TRL-6. SONTRAC is based on state-of-the-art techniques for particle tracking using highly segmented scintillating fibers, coupled to silicon photomultipliers, and subsequently processed with modern ASICs. The proposed work is a natural follow-on to our prior Instrument Technology Development (ITD) award (FY18). The primary science motivation of SONTRAC is to measure solar neutrons, which are produced at the solar surface by the interaction between accelerated ions and the solar atmosphere and propagate to 1 AU unhindered by the interplanetary magnetic field. The measurement of solar neutrons provides a game-changing observation in a previously poorly measured radiation channel, leading to a better understanding of particle acceleration at the Sun. Neutrons also represent an important component of space weather, affecting both satellite operations and the health of astronauts and flight crews. A concomitant scientific goal is the measurement of terrestrial and lunar albedo neutrons, which constitute an important component of the near-Earth radiation environment and a background for solar neutron observations. SONTRAC is a pathfinder for future inner heliospheric SmallSATs and Lunar Gateway opportunities as a semi-permanent monitor on the lunar surface and in orbit. The lunar surface provides a unique vantage point to continuously monitor, over extended periods of time, neutrons and solar energetic particles (SEPs) generated by solar eruptive events and measure the effects of energetic particles on the lunar surface and the Earth's atmosphere. The current program focuses on three key technology goals: 1) develop an in-house radiation tolerant digital processing unit, 2) demonstrate a fully integrated (5-cm)3 prototype with accelerator beam tests, and 3) confirm the scalable nature of SONTRAC by demonstrating an ability to tile individual SONTRAC bundles.

Support NASA's Heliophysics strategic science objectives to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including space weather. This will be achieved by developing/demonstrating instrumentation technology necessary to address the following science goals: Explore the physical processes in the space environment from the Sun to the Earth and throughout the solar system; Advance our understanding of the connections that link the Sun, the Earth, planetary space environments, and the outer reaches of our solar system; Develop the knowledge and capability to detect and predict extreme conditions in space to protect life and society and to safeguard human and robotic explorers beyond Earth.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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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