Scientific Contribution of Sharjah-Sat-1 to X-ray Observations

Sharjah-Sat-1 is currently being developed as a collaborative research project among the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST), University of Sharjah (UoS), Istanbul Technical University (ITU), and Sabanci University (SU). A 3U CubeSat design has been adopted with a dual payload onboard: (i) an improved X-ray Detector (iXRD) and (ii) a system of two optical cameras. The mission's primary scientific targets are the bright, hard X-ray sources in our Galaxy and the solar coronal holes. A complimentary payload, consisting of the two optical cameras, will serve as a low-resolution remote sensing application. This project's main technological aim is to develop a CubeSat, from A to Z, operational in the electromagnetic spectrum's hard X-ray regime. The Sharjah-Sat-1 would be the first CubeSat mission to be developed by the SAASST team and UoS students to not only design, fabricate, test, and launch the CubeSat itself but also building the capacities and expertise necessary for future CubeSat missions as well. The anticipated launch is planned for late Q2-2022. The primary science payload onboard is the iXRD (developed by Sabanci University) with a pixelated CdZnTe-based crystal as the active material and a Tungsten collimator with a field of view of 4.26 degrees. The energy range is from 20 keV to 200 keV with a target spectral resolution of 6 keV at 60 keV. Its primary science goal is to observe the very bright galactic hard X-ray sources, transient and persistent. Black hole candidates and pulsars can emit radiation up to a few 100 keVs, making them potential targets. Besides, solar observations will be conducted to study hard X-ray spectra of flares and coronal holes. Other opportunity targets are transient bright events, such as gamma-ray bursts (GRB) and magnetar bursts. A complete in-orbit background analysis has been conducted. While the detector's effective area is only 6.5 cm², it is expected to reach a sensitivity of 60 mCrab in a single day in 20 keV-100 keV band assuming 600s exposure each orbit.