Design, testing, and validation of a space-based Improved X-Ray Detector onboard Sharjah-Sat-1

Sharjah-Sat-1 is currently being developed as a collaborative research project between the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST), the University of Sharjah, Istanbul Technical University, and Sabanci University. A 3U CubeSat design has been adopted with a dual payload onboard: (i) the improved X-ray Detector (iXRD) and (ii) a system of two optical cameras. The mission's primary scientific target is the observation of bright, hard X-ray sources in our Galaxy and the solar coronal holes. The paper discusses a high-level design, testing, and validation of the mission's primary science payload. The iXRD (Improved X-ray Detector) is equipped with a pixelated CdZnTe-based crystal as the active detection material and a Tungsten collimator with a field of view of 4.26 degrees. The detection range is from 20 to 200 keV with a target spectral resolution of 6 keV at 60 keV. The paper will cover a high-level design of the iXRD, environmental testing performed on the detector such as thermal-vacuum and vibration testing, and calibrating the detector.