BackForwardInstrument:  MXGS 

Instrument details
Acronym MXGS
Full name Modular X-ray and Gamma-ray Sensor
Purpose Detection of Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGF)
Short description Set of two detectors senstive in the spectral bands from 15 keV to 400 keV (low energy) and from 200 keV to 40 MeV (high energy).
Background MXGS works in association to the Modular Multispectral Imaging Array (MMIA).
Scanning Technique Array of 128 x 128 detectors nadir pointing over an 80° x 80° field of view. Time resolution 1-5 ms
Resolution 2.8 km at s.s.p.
Coverage / Cycle Limited to latitudes consistent with the ISS orbit inclination (51.6°)
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency ESA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2018 to 2022
Last update: 2021-10-02
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Space radiometer or spectrometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 3
  • UV spectral imagery (e.g. GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO)
  • Gamma-ray spectrometer [from GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO]
  • X-ray spectrometer [from GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Gamma-ray flux
  • X-ray flux
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Gamma-ray flux*3 - highNo specific limitation.Gamma-ray imager observing the Earth's surface to detect Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGF)
X-ray flux*3 - highNo specific limitation.X-ray imager observing the Earth's surface to detect Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGF)