Mitigation techniques followed in electrical integration of scanning Sky monitor payload

Abstract

ASTROSAT is a scientific mission aimed at providing space based multi-wavelength observatory in the frontier areas of astronomy. It carries scientific instruments sensitive over a wide spectrum of wavelengths covering Visible, Ultra Violet, Soft X-rays and Hard X-rays over an energy band of 2–100keV. It accommodates five payloads to perform the task. Scanning Sky monitor (SSM) is one of the payloads designed to measure the soft X-rays over a band of 2–10keV for transient events. Electrical integration of SSM payload poses huge challenges in the form of design and implementation of electrical distribution system for rotating mechanism, grounding of electronics packages on Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) platform, problems faced during the testing in dis-assembled mode and measures taken to overcome the same. This paper discusses the above mentioned aspects from the perspective of electrical integration and testing.