HERMES Pathfinder & SpIRIT: a progress report

Fiore, F.; Trenti, M.; Evangelista, Y.; Campana, R.; Baroni, G.; Ceraudo, F.; Citossi, M.; Della Casa, G.; Dilillo, G.; Feroci, M.

HERMES Pathfinder & SpIRIT: a progress report

Feb 25, 2025

9 pages

e-Print:

2502.17952 [astro-ph.IM]

View in:

ADS Abstract Service

pdf

reference search0 citations

Citations per year

0 Citations

Abstract: (arXiv)

HERMES Pathfinder is an in-orbit demonstration consisting of a constellation of six 3U cubesats hosting simple but innovative X-ray/gamma-ray detectors for the monitoring of cosmic high-energy transients. HERMES-PF, funded by ASI and by the EC Horizon 2020 grant, is scheduled for launch in Q1 2025. An identical X-ray/gamma-ray detector is hosted by the Australian 6U cubesat SpIRIT, launched on December 1st 2023. The main objective of HERMES-PF/SpIRIT is to demonstrate that high energy cosmic transients can be detected efficiently by miniatured hardware and localized using triangulation techniques. The HERMES-PF X-ray/gamma-ray detector is made by 60 GAGG:Ce scintillator crystals and 12 2x5 silicon drift detector (SDD) mosaics, used to detect both the cosmic X-rays directly and the optical photons produced by gamma-ray interactions with the scintillator crystals. This design provides a unique broad band spectral coverage from a few keV to a few MeV. Furthermore, the use of fast GAGG:Ce crystals and small SDD cells allows us to reach an exquisite time resolution better than a microsecond. We present a progress report on the missions focusing the discussion on the scientific innovation of the project and on the main lessons learned during the project development including: the importance and the challenges of using distributed architectures to achieve ambitious scientific objectives; the importance of developing critical technologies under science agreements for the realization of high-performing but low-cost payloads; best use of COTS technologies in scientific missions. We finally discuss the prospects of applying these concepts for the creation of an all-sky, all-time monitor to search for the high-energy counterparts of gravitational wave events that Advanced LIGO/Virgo/Kagra will find at the end of this decade and the Einstein Telescope during the 2030s.

Note:

proceedings of the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Milan, Italy, 14-18 October 2024

References(43)

Figures(0)

[1]

ariXiv:0903:0098

S.E. Phinney

[2]

Nucleosynthesis, Neutrino Bursts and Gamma-Rays from Coalescing Neutron Stars

David Eichler
(
- Ben Gurion U. of Negev and
- Maryland U.
)
,
Mario Livio
(
- Technion
)
,
Tsvi Piran
(
- Hebrew U. and
- Princeton U. Observ.
)
,
David N. Schramm
(
- Chicago U. and
- Fermilab
)

- Nature 340 (1989) 126-128,
•
DOI:
- 10.1038/340126a0

[3]

Short-Hard Gamma-Ray Bursts

Ehud Nakar
(
- Caltech
)

- Phys.Rept. 442 (2007) 166-236
•
e-Print:
- astro-ph/0701748
•
DOI:
- 10.1016/j.physrep.2007.02.005

[4]

Short-Duration Gamma-Ray Bursts

Edo Berger
(
- Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
)

- Ann.Rev.Astron.Astrophys. 52 (2014) 43-105
•
e-Print:
- 1311.2603
•
DOI:
- 10.1146/annurev-astro-081913-035926

[5]

The electromagnetic counterparts of compact binary mergers

Ehud Nakar
(
- Tel Aviv U. (main)
)

- Phys.Rept. 886 (2020) 1-84
•
e-Print:
- 1912.05659
•
DOI:
- 10.1016/j.physrep.2020.08.008

[6]

D. Lazzati
,
R. Ciolfi
,
R. Perna

- Astrophys.J.Lett. 898 (2020) 59

[7]

The outflow structure of GW170817 from late-time broad-band observations

et al.

- Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 478 (2018) 1, L18-L23
•
e-Print:
- 1801.06516
•
DOI:
- 10.1093/mnrasl/sly061

[8]

Superluminal motion of a relativistic jet in the neutron-star merger GW170817

et al.

- Nature 561 (2018) 7723, 355-359,
- Nature, volume 561, pages 355-359 (2018)
•
e-Print:
- 1806.09693
•
DOI:
- 10.1038/s41586-018-0486-3

[9]

Compact radio emission indicates a structured jet was produced by a binary neutron star merger

G. Ghirlanda
(
- Brera Observ. and
- Milan Bicocca U. and
- INFN, Milan Bicocca
)
,
O.S. Salafia
(
- Brera Observ. and
- Milan Bicocca U. and
- INFN, Milan Bicocca
)
,
Z. Paragi
(
- JIVE, Dwingeloo
)
,
M. Giroletti
(
- Bologna, Ist. Radioastronomia
)
,
J. Yang
(
- Chalmers U. Tech. and
- Yunnan Observ.
)

et al.

- Science 363 (2019) 968
•
e-Print:
- 1808.00469
•
DOI:
- 10.1126/science.aau8815

[10]

Multi-messenger Observations of Binary Neutron Star Mergers in the O4 Run

et al.

- Astrophys.J. 937 (2022) 2, 79
•
e-Print:
- 2204.07592
•
DOI:
- 10.3847/1538-4357/ac8d00

[11]

HERMES: Gamma Ray Burst and Gravitational Wave counterpart hunter

G. Ghirlanda

- Astron.Astrophys. 689 (2024) 175

[12]

Distributed Architectures and Constellations for γ-Ray Burst Science

F. Fiore
,
N. Werner
,
E. Behar

- Galaxies 2021 9

[13]

The HERMES-Technologic and Scientific Pathfinder

F. Fiore

- Proc.SPIE Int.Soc.Opt.Eng. 11444 (2020) 166

[14]

Design, integration, and test of the scientific payloads on-board the HERMES constellation and the SpIRIT mission

Y. Evangelista

- Proc.SPIE Int.Soc.Opt.Eng.G 121811 (2022) 1

[15]

The HERMES (High Energy Rapid Modular Ensemble of Satellites) Pathfinder mission

Y. Evangelista

- Proc.SPIE Int.Soc.Opt.Eng. 13093 (2024) 245

[16]

The HERMES-TP/SP background and response simulations, Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, 114444U

R. Campana

[17]

Design and development of the HERMES Pathfinder payloads, Society of PhotoOptical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, 13093-245

R. Campana

[18]

A

Guzman

[19]

The on-board scientific software of the HERMES missions

A. Guzman

- Proc.SPIE Int.Soc.Opt.Eng. 13093 (2024) 248

[20]

Sky visibility analysis for astrophysical data return maximization in HERMES constellation, Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, Volume 6, id. 048001

A. Colagrossi

[21]

HERMES constellation: a new paradigm for multi-messenger astrophysics with CubeSats, Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC, B4

M. Lavagna

[22]

A

Colagrossi

[23]

Fault Tolerant Attitude and Orbit Determination System for Small Satellite Platforms, Aerospace, 9, 46

A. Colagrossi

[24]

Derisking the AIV\AIT phase for constellation: the HERMES approach, IAC-24,B4, International Astronautical Congress, Milano Italy

M.Quirino
,
M.Lavagna

[25]

HERMES constellation for astrophysics: the thermal modeling and testing strategy for qualification, IAC-24,B4, International Astronautical Congress,Milano Italy

M.Quirino

1-25 of 43
1
2
25 / page