The Netherlands China Long Wavelength Explorer mission; The analog receiver system

Paper number

IAC-19,B4,2,11,x50712

Author

Mr. Mark Ruiter, The Netherlands, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Coauthor

Prof. Mark Bentum, The Netherlands, Eindhoven University of Technology

Coauthor

Dr. Albert-Jan Boonstra, The Netherlands, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)

Coauthor

Mr. Hans van der Marel, Unknown, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Coauthor

Dr. Marc Klein Wolt, The Netherlands, Radboud University Nijmegen

Coauthor

Prof. Heino Falcke, The Netherlands, Radboud University Nijmegen

Coauthor

Mr. Jeroen Rotteveel, The Netherlands, ISIS - Innovative Solutions In Space B.V.

Coauthor

Mr. Eric Bertels, Unknown, Innovative Solutions in Space BV

Coauthor

Dr. Mo Zhang, China, CAS-NAOC

Coauthor

Dr. Mingyuan Wang, China, CAS-NAOC

Coauthor

Dr. Linjie Chen, China, CAS-NAOC

Coauthor

Prof. Jinsong Ping, China, CAS-NAOC

Coauthor

Dr. David Prinsloo, Netherlands Antilles, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Coauthor

Mr. Michel Arts, The Netherlands, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Year

2019

Abstract

The NCLE (Netherlands China Long Wavelength Explorer)  is a scientific payload on the Chang’e4 relay satellite, launched on 21th May 2018, currently orbiting the Earth - Moon L2 point. The mission opens up the last virtually unexplored frequency domain  below 10 MHz.  This part of the spectrum is not observable from Earth due to the opaque ionosphere. This first international payload on a Chinese mission will attempt to detect the highly redshifted 21 cm line emission from hydrogen, origin of the very early universe. Due to the low signature of this emission, a location with low radio frequency interference (RFI) is essential. The RFI-quiet Earth-Moon-L2 orbit at the lunar far side seems an ideal location for this science to be performed. The mission also pursues very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) with the lunar based Chang’e4 rover and Earth based low frequency telescope LOFAR. This would enable very high angular resolution. 

NCLE consists of three 5 meter nearly orthogonal placed antennas. These feed into a wide bandwidth receiver, covering a frequency window from 80 kHz to 80 MHz. The large bandwidth will enable scientific opportunities, as well as RFI characterisation at the lunar far side. This is very important for future radio astronomy missions as the RFI from Earth at the lunar far side is unknown yet. 

The NCLE is a serious first pathfinder mission for future low frequency radio astronomy missions in space. The scientific output and technical advancements will be used for future low frequency  satellite missions to come. Future missions will consist of a swarm of nano-sats acting a 3-D radio telescope.

In this paper we will describe the analog receiver system of the NCLE instrument in more detail.

Abstract document

IAC-19,B4,2,11,x50712.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-19,B4,2,11,x50712.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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