On-Orbit Thermal Performance of the Hinode (Solar-B) Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer

Hinode (Solar-B) was launched in September 2006 aboard an M-V-7 rocket from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan. Using a combination of visible, EUV and X-ray instrumentation Hinode will study the interaction between the Sun's magnetic field and corona to increase our understanding of the causes of solar variability.

The UK-led Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) will image spectral lines within two carefully chosen wavelength bands, to observe the solar corona and upper transition regions in high spatial and temporal resolution. This paper first describes the thermal design of the EIS instrument and then goes on to make an assessment of the post launch thermal performance. During engineering commissioning the instrument temperatures remained within applicable limits and were close to pre-launch predictions. Some minor modifications to the thermal model were made to refine the correlation with the measured data. Comparisons between measurements and predictions are presented for survival and operational modes shortly after launch.