Hi-C Flare (CAPRI-SUN)
High-resolution Coronal Imager solar Flare campaign
high CAdence low-energy Passband x-Ray detector with Integrated full-SUN field of view
Mission Overview
The High-resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) is the main payload of a sounding rocket solar flare campaign (hence the name Hi-C Flare). The goals of the campaign are to acquire an extensive, multi-scale, multi-wavelengh observation of a solar flare and establish the capability of solar pointing missions within the sounding rocket program.
The high CAdence low-energy Passband x-Ray detector with Integrated full-SUN field of view (CAPRI-SUN) instrument is a solar disk integrated soft X-ray sensor designed, fabricated, and tested by SSEL students. CAPRI-SUN will obtain a soft X-ray (SXR) time series at an unprecedented 1 kHz cadence through the duration of solar pointing, providing the first high frequency measurement of flare variability in SXR.
Status
As of August 2023, CAPRI-SUN has been delivered to the Hi-C team and is awaiting integration with the other payloads on the sounding rocket. Launch of Hi-C Flare is scheduled for Q2 2024 out of the Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska.
Development of the technology used in CAPRI-SUN will continue as it is adapted for use in the BUBO instrument payload for the MUSE satellite being constructed by Lockheed Martin.
CAPRI-SUN attached to front apeture plate for Hi-C Flare rocket
Exploded view of the CAPRI-SUN CAD model