Calibration and Performance of the X-Ray Spectrometer on-board Astro-E2

The X-ray Spectrometer (XRS) is a non-dispersive X-ray spectrometer on-board the X-ray astronomy satellite, Astro-E2, which is scheduled to be launched in 2005. The detector system consists of a 31-pixel microcalorimeter array, and achieves an unprecedented energy resolution of ∼ 6 eV over the energy band 0.3–12 keV. Here we present the results of our ground calibration and performance tests that we have carried out for the fully completed flight system of the XRS. Our latest results taken at ISAS with the XRS on the spacecraft show that the measured energy resolutions are about 5–6 eV FWHM at 6 keV for most of the pixels.