The X-Ray Spectrometer on the MESSENGER Spacecraft

NASA's MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) mission will further the understanding of the formation of the planets by examining the least studied of the terrestrial planets, Mercury. During the one-year orbital phase (beginning in 2011) and three earlier fly...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Space science reviews 2007-08, Vol.131 (1-4), p.393-415
Main Authors: Schlemm, Charles E, Starr, Richard D, Ho, George C, Bechtold, Kathryn E, Hamilton, Sarah A, Boldt, John D, Boynton, William V, Bradley, Walter, Fraeman, Martin E, Gold, Robert E, Goldsten, John O, Hayes, John R, Jaskulek, Stephen E, Rossano, Egidio, Rumpf, Robert A, Schaefer, Edward D, Strohbehn, Kim, Shelton, Richard G, Thompson, Raymond E, Trombka, Jacob I, Williams, Bruce D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemical composition
Emission measurements
Geochemistry
Mercury
Spacecraft
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Summary:NASA's MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) mission will further the understanding of the formation of the planets by examining the least studied of the terrestrial planets, Mercury. During the one-year orbital phase (beginning in 2011) and three earlier flybys (2008 and 2009), the X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) onboard the MESSENGER spacecraft will measure the surface elemental composition. XRS will measure the characteristic X-ray emissions induced on the surface of Mercury by the incident solar flux. The K alpha lines for the elements Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Ti, and Fe will be detected. The 12 degree field-of-view of the instrument will allow a spatial resolution that ranges from 42 km at periapsis to 3200 km at apoapsis due to the spacecraft's highly elliptical orbit. XRS will provide elemental composition measurements covering the majority of Mercury's surface, as well as potential high-spatial-resolution measurements of features of interest. This paper summarizes XRS's science objectives, technical design, calibration, and mission observation strategy.
ISSN:0038-6308
1572-9672
DOI:10.1007/s11214-007-9248-5