Overview
ARRAKIHS, an acronym for Analysis of Resolved Remnants of Accreted galaxies as a Key Instrument for Halo Surveys, is a mission of the European Space Agency. Its objective is to determine the number and nature of dwarf galaxies and stellar currents located near them in order to test certain aspects of the standard model of cosmology (ΛCDM model). Data collection will be done using four small telescopes observing visible and near-infrared light. The mission was selected in early November 2022 and should be launched in the early 2030s. The planned payload for the ARRAKIHS mission consists of an advanced dual-binocular telescope specifically designed to capture images in both the VIS and NIR ranges. The instrument will be provided by the ARRAKIHS Mission Consortium.
Switzerland’s contribution to the mission will focus on the thermal and structural subsystem (TSS) for the ARRAKIHS payload. In the initial phase, known as Phase 0/A, the Swiss ARRAKIHS consortium will be responsible for developing and simulating a detailed thermal concept and architecture. This development will be based on the evolving mission parameters, science requirements, and the concept of operation (CONOPS). Within the Swiss consortium, HSLU contributes with Systems Engineering and the general Know-How on precision optical instruments for space missions.
