The Far Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope Array (FUVITA) 

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   FUVITA is an instrument to be flown on the Russian-built Spectrum-X-Gamma satellite, currently scheduled for launch in late 1998. It is a joint effort between SSL (EAG), the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland, University of British Columbia in Canada and the IKI space research center in Russia.

FUVITA consists of an array of two 21cm aperture telescopes optimized for observations in the 900 - 1200Å region, each with microchannel plate detectors and wedge and strip image readouts. Each telescope has a 1 degree field of view, and a spatial resolution of <10".

EAG has participated in the design and test of the detector and electronic systems, and has carried out a full calibration of FUVITA detector systems in the summer of 1995 at SSL. The FUVITA  telescope mirrors were coated with SiC to enhance their reflectivity. An end-to-end calibration of the entire FUVITA instrument took place in 1997. The FUVITA telemetry and data handling electronics are tested and integrated with the Spectrum-X-Gamma Observatory in Russia. The two telescopes will eventually be co-aligned with the UK Jet-X experiment, and Soviet  SODART experiment aboard the Spectrum-X-Gamma space platformin late 1997.  

Scientific objectives of FUVITA include observations of the emission and variability of coronal and chromospheric emission, stellar flares, cataclysmic variables, measurements of FUV emission from Active Galactic Nuclei, and the mapping of cooling flows in clusters of galaxies.

EAG is also engaged in defining the framework for the FUVITA science data analysis system and software, based on systems which we are currently successfully using for both the ALEXIS and EUVE missions.

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