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    "title": "A-STEP’s AstroPix Detectors Get Ready for Flight",
    "description": "Scientists and engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have been preparing a new gamma-ray detector called AstroPix for an upcoming rocket payload called A-STEP (AstroPix Sounding Rocket Technology dEmonstration Payload).Each detector contains four silicon sensors, and each sensor incorporates 1,225 pixels. A-STEP will carry a three-detector stack to the edge of space on the SubTEC-10 sounding rocket, which will launch in 2025 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The flight’s primary goal is to successfully operate the detectors, with a secondary goal of measuring the rate of impacts from cosmic rays, high-energy particles from space. || ",
    "release_date": "2024-10-21T14:00:00-04:00",
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        "alt_text": "An AstroPix detector rests inside a protective tray in a lab at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The squares in the center are silicon pixel sensors designed to detect gamma rays, the highest-energy form of light. They function similarly to the image sensors in cell phones. There are two more under the rectangular copper bus bar, which carries data from the sensors to rest of the A-STEP system. Gamma rays are sufficiently high energy that they will pass through the bar and interact in the silicon below. \rCredit: NASA/Sophia Roberts\r\rAlt text: An AstroPix detector rests on a blue lab bench inside a tray. \r\rImage description: What looks like a large computer chip — an AstroPix detector — rests inside an orange-and-white tray set on a blue lab bench.  The detector is green and has two reflective squares in the middle with a long copper rectangle at left parallel to them. The copper rectangle covers two additional reflective squares. On its right side, black wires extend out of frame. A piece of electrical equipment with various knobs is visible at the top of the image, and a strip of black-and-yellow tape is visible at bottom left. \r",
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                        "alt_text": "The A-STEP mission will test a stack of three AstroPix detectors, like the one shown here, by flying it to the edge of space on a sounding rocket. The flight will only last 10 minutes — enough time for the team to ensure the detectors work ahead of their use in future projects. \r\rCredit: NASA/Sophia Roberts\r\rAlt text: A gloved hand tilts a stack of three AstroPix detectors toward the camera. \r\rImage description: In this photograph, a blue-gloved hand rests on a blue lab table. It tilts a stack of what looks like three large computer chips — AstroPix detectors — toward the camera. The detectors are green, and the top one shows two reflective squares in the center with a copper rectangle to their right. The copper rectangle covers an additional two reflective squares. There is a small gap between each detector. In the background is a gray piece of electrical equipment covered in knobs and buttons, a power strip, and a black monitor and keyboard. \r",
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            "description": "A-STEP will use a stack of three AstroPix detectors, like the one shown here. Each detector has two square sensors, which measure 2 centimeters on a side and contain 1,225 pixels — so A-STEP will contain 3,675 pixels in all. \r<p>\r<p>Credit: NASA/Sophia Roberts\r<p>\r<p>Alt text: A pair of blue-gloved hands holds a stack of three AstroPix detectors. \r<p>\r<p>Image description: A pair of blue-gloved hands holds a stack of what looks like three computer chips — these are AstroPix detectors. The detectors are green, and the top one shows two reflective squares in the center with a copper rectangle below them. The copper rectangle covers an additional two reflective squares. There is a small gap between each detector. \r<p>",
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                        "alt_text": "A-STEP will use a stack of three AstroPix detectors, like the one shown here. Each detector has two square sensors, which measure 2 centimeters on a side and contain 1,225 pixels — so A-STEP will contain 3,675 pixels in all. \r\rCredit: NASA/Sophia Roberts\r\rAlt text: A pair of blue-gloved hands holds a stack of three AstroPix detectors. \r\rImage description: A pair of blue-gloved hands holds a stack of what looks like three computer chips — these are AstroPix detectors. The detectors are green, and the top one shows two reflective squares in the center with a copper rectangle below them. The copper rectangle covers an additional two reflective squares. There is a small gap between each detector. \r",
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                        "filename": "ASTEP_Detector-7.jpg",
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                        "alt_text": "A-STEP will use a stack of three AstroPix detectors, like the one shown here. Each detector has two square sensors, which measure 2 centimeters on a side and contain 1,225 pixels — so A-STEP will contain 3,675 pixels in all. \r\rCredit: NASA/Sophia Roberts\r\rAlt text: A pair of blue-gloved hands holds a stack of three AstroPix detectors. \r\rImage description: A pair of blue-gloved hands holds a stack of what looks like three computer chips — these are AstroPix detectors. The detectors are green, and the top one shows two reflective squares in the center with a copper rectangle below them. The copper rectangle covers an additional two reflective squares. There is a small gap between each detector. \r",
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            "page_type": "Produced Video",
            "title": "Testing AstroPix, A New Gamma-Ray Detector",
            "description": "An AstroPix detector board rests inside a protective tray in a lab at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The squares in the center are silicon pixel gamma-ray sensors. There are two more under the rectangular copper bus bar, which carries data from the sensors to rest of the A-STEP system. The detector connects to a high-power voltage board and other electronics. Credit: NASA/Sophia RobertsAlt text: Electronic components rest on a lab tableImage description: What looks like a large computer chip — an AstroPix detector — rests inside a white tray on a blue lab bench. The detector is green and has two reflective squares in the middle with a long copper rectangle at right parallel to them. Black wires attached to the bottom of the chip connect it to other pieces of equipment and circuit boards on the lab bench. || ASTEP_Chips3.jpg (8192x5464) [32.7 MB] || ASTEP_Chips3_half.jpg (4096x2732) [3.1 MB] || ASTEP_Chips3_half_searchweb.png (320x180) [109.8 KB] || ASTEP_Chips3_half_thm.png [11.5 KB] || ",
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                "media_type": "Image",
                "alt_text": "An AstroPix detector board rests inside a protective tray in a lab at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The squares in the center are silicon pixel gamma-ray sensors. There are two more under the rectangular copper bus bar, which carries data from the sensors to rest of the A-STEP system. The detector connects to a high-power voltage board and other electronics. \rCredit: NASA/Sophia Roberts\rAlt text: Electronic components rest on a lab table\rImage description: What looks like a large computer chip — an AstroPix detector — rests inside a white tray on a blue lab bench. The detector is green and has two reflective squares in the middle with a long copper rectangle at right parallel to them. Black wires attached to the bottom of the chip connect it to other pieces of equipment and circuit boards on the lab bench.",
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