High Energy Astrophysics Group

OSO-7

Orbiting Solar Observatory-7

Cosmic X-ray Experiment

Detector | Electronics | Particle Monitors | Response | Background

The UCSD OSO-7 Cosmic X-ray Experiment was one of six instruments carried on the OSO-7 satellite. TheUCSD telescope was mounted in the rotating lower section of the spacecraft, pointing radially outwards to scan a great circle on the sky with every 2 second revolution. The low background, scintillation counter telescope was of the actively collimated type developed at UCSD.

The primary output of the instrument consisted of a series of energies and directions of individual x-ray counts, to a maximum of 3 counts/s. Events in excess of this rate were lost. A sun-sensing eye disabled the instrument whenever the viewing axis was within 11 degrees of the sun, since this was a cosmic source instrument, and not one to study the sun. The entire instrument was 51 cm long and about 30 cm in diameter.

 

OSO-7 Information

Mission Objectives
Spacecraft
Cosmic X--ray Experiment
Solar X--ray Experiment
Results
Publication