X-IFU Thermal Filters Technology Demonstration Plan

Abstract

The main purpose of the present plan is to provide a clear path to demonstrate the Thermal Filters (THF) TRL5 by the Mission Adoption. An effort has been performed in trying to identify what shall be considered technology, for which the maturity has to be demonstrated, and what is design that can still contribute to improve the performances of the THF along phases B and C of development. The X-IFU thermal filters conceptual design, defined during phase A and described in the THF description document presented at the I-PRR, relies on heritage from previous missions and characterization tests performed on breadboards manufactured by LUXEL Corporation (Friday Harbor, WA, USA). The TRL5 will thus be demonstrated before MAR for the technology of filters manufactured by LUXEL. However, in parallel and as part of the risk mitigation actions, we will procure and test filter samples of other european manufacturers, to verify also the maturity of other filter technologies. The identified TECHNOLOGY development elements that we consider critical are described in the document. In section 7 we list the breadboards (BBs) we have identified to perform the necessary characterization tests aimed at demonstrating their maturity.