The Bragg solar x-ray spectrometer SolpeX

Detection of polarization and spectra measurement of X-ray solar flare emission are indispensable in improving our understanding of the processes releasing energy of these most energetic phenomena in the solar system. We shall present some details of the construction of SolpeX – an innovative Bragg soft X-ray flare polarimeter and spectrometer. The instrument is a part of KORTES – Russian instrument complex to be mounted aboard the science module to be attached to the International Space Station (2017/2018). The SolpeX will be composed of three individual measuring units: the soft X-ray polarimeter with 1-2% linear polarization detection threshold, a fast-rotating flat crystal X-ray spectrometer with a very high time resolution (0.1 s) and a simple pinhole soft X-ray imager-spectrometer with a moderate spatial (~20 arcsec), spectral (0.5 keV) and high time resolution (0.1 s). Having a fast rotating unit to be served with power, telemetry and “intelligence” poses a challenge for the designer. Some of the solutions to this will be provided and described.