The Rockets for Extended-source X-ray Spectroscopy (tREXS) is a suborbital rocket program that uses a wide-field grating spectrograph to obtain spectroscopic data on extended, soft-X-ray sources. The multi-channel tREXS spectrograph uses passive, mechanical focusing optics and stacks of reflection gratings to achieve a spectral resolution of R ≈ 50 from ≈15 – 40 Å over a >10 deg2 field of view. The dispersed spectra are read out by an array of 11 X-ray CMOS detectors that form a 97-megapixel focal-plane camera. tREXS was launched for the first time in September, 2022 to observe the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant. Though a failure in the rail pumping system led to a non-detection of emission from the Cygnus Loop during the flight, the rest of the instrument performed nominally and was recovered successfully. We present here an update on the instrument, results from the first flight, and a discussion of the future outlook.
The Rockets for Extended-source X-ray Spectroscopy (tREXS) are a funded series of sounding rocket instruments to detect diffuse soft X-ray emission from astrophysical sources. The first launch of tREXS is scheduled for Q4 2021, with a goal to observe the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant. tREXS house a four-channel grating spectrometer that uses passive, mechanical focusers, arrays of reflection gratings, and an extended focal plane based around Teledyne CIS 113 CMOS sensors. We present here an update on the instrument design, build, and calibrations in advance of the launch later this year.
The Rockets for Extended-source X-ray Spectroscopy (tREXS) are a series of suborbital rocket payloads being developed at The Pennsylvania State University. The tREXS science instrument is a soft X-ray grating spectrometer that will provide a large field-of-view and unmatched spectral resolving power for extended sources. Each instrument channel consists of a passive, mechanical focusing optic and an array of reflection gratings. The focal plane consists of an array of CIS113 CMOS sensors. tREXS I is currently in the design phase and is being developed for a launch in 2021 to observe diffuse soft X-ray emission from the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant. An analysis of instrument optics, gratings, and focal plane camera is discussed.
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