SESDA Supports Development of NICER Repair Tools

August 6, 2024

NICER-repair-caddy: The NICER caddy is an aluminum box containing two of the mission’s spare sunshades, which are attached to the bottom. Inside the sunshades, 12 patches are locked into place. Astronauts will take the complete caddy assembly with them during a future spacewalk to address damage to NICER’s thermal shields.

The extremely successful GSFC project, NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), was launched in June of 2017. In 2023 it was damaged by debris and its operating time became limited to nighttime observations only. SESDA personnel contributed to the rapid development and fabrication of the repair parts, and a repair plan was put in place. After a successful Florida launch on August 4, 2024, the capsule carrying the repair kit was captured by the robotic arm of the space station. An astronaut will perform a space walk later this year to install the repair components. NICER will be the first X-ray telescope in orbit to be serviced by astronauts. The repairs should restore NICER to full time operation studying the X-ray sky.

NICER-ISS: A photo of NICER attached to the ISS. NICER is about the size of a washing machine. The sunshades of its X-ray concentrators are visible as an array of circular features.

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