A study conducted by scientists at Washington University in St. Louis is advancing toward space. 

The Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder for the International Space Station (TIGERISS) has officially been given a mounting site on the Columbus laboratory module of the International Space Station (ISS). Researchers noted that this location designation marks a significant achievement toward a planned 2027 launch. 

“TIGERISS is finally becoming a reality for the ISS,” remarked Brian Rauch, associate professor of physics in Arts & Sciences and lead investigator for the initiative. Rauch has been at the helm of the TIGERISS mission since it was chosen for development under the NASA Astrophysics Pioneers program in 2022.

The study aims to quantify the quantities of ultra-heavy galactic cosmic rays, enhancing scientists’ comprehension of how the galaxy generates and spread the elements.

TIGERISS is the inaugural device capable of analyzing cosmic ray quantities with single-element resolution across the periodic table from boron to lead. It is an advancement from the TIGER and SuperTIGER devices — also developed by teams led by physicists W. Robert Binns and Martin Israel, both of whom are now professors emeriti in Arts & Sciences, and were previously launched on stratospheric balloons from Antarctica. 

“The thrilling aspect of this venture is the transition from balloons to space,” stated Rauch, who is also a faculty fellow at the university’s McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences. “A considerable portion of our current knowledge about heavier elements in galactic cosmic rays is derived from the earlier TIGER and SuperTIGER balloon-based instruments.”

The phrase “cosmic rays” is somewhat misleading since they aren’t rays at all. In the early 1900s, when cosmic rays were initially discovered, they were believed to consist of electromagnetic radiation. However, within a few decades, experimental findings revealed that cosmic rays are actually fragments of atoms: protons, electrons, and atomic nuclei.

These high-energy particles are propelled by supernova shock waves and continuously bombard the Earth. For researchers, cosmic rays provide one of the few direct samples of material originating from beyond the solar system. “The entire periodic table exists out there, although substances beyond iron are exceedingly rare,” said Rauch. “Our goal, for the first time, is to measure the quantities of elements up to lead in cosmic rays and subsequently compare that data with what we observe in the solar system.”

“The core question we are seeking to answer is the origin of the matter that constitutes our world,” he added.

The TIGERISS mission was developed to tackle critical inquiries presented in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020, particularly: are neutron star mergers the primary site of r-process nucleosynthesis, or do supernovae and other core-collapse events significantly contribute to the universal r-process budget?

Mounted on the space station, TIGERISS will orbit the Earth at approximately 250 miles above sea level, completing one lap every 90 minutes. From this perspective, the experiment will employ a distinctive combination of silicon and Cherenkov light detectors to quantify ultra-heavy galactic cosmic rays.

TIGERISS will utilize one of four external mounting platforms located on the Columbus laboratory module. “There’s a rectangle-shaped support structure acting as a framework,” stated Rauch. “We will be situated on one of the side platforms, allowing us to intercept particles approaching the Earth.”

“We’re pleased to finally secure our position on the station,” expressed Wolfgang Zober, postdoctoral research associate in physics within Arts & Sciences and project scientist for TIGERISS. “This placement enables us to transition from two markedly different designs to concentrating solely on the one we are building.”

The design of the mechanical structure is now highly developed, according to Zober. Most of the TIGERISS payload electronics have progressed from prototyping to near completion of the flight designs.

“We are preparing to create engineering demonstration units for the aerogel and silicon detector mounting configurations and to test them under conditions simulating launch vibrations,” he noted. “Our thermal control system design has advanced to the stage where we have preliminary sizing for the thermal radiator panels, visible as the flat panels on the left and top sides in the payload model. The right side represents the instrument’s upper portion facing zenith (away from the Earth).”

WashU is spearheading the overall execution of the TIGERISS project, as well as the scientific aspects, integration, testing, and outreach. Certain components of the mechanical structure, along with the detector electronic boards and cable harnessing, will be manufactured at the physics workshop on the Danforth Campus.

Richard Bose, a senior research engineer in physics, is responsible for developing the readout electronics for the new silicon strip detector, while Izabella Pastrana, a research engineer in physics, is engaged in the test electronics and a digital control board. Lindsey Lisalda, a postdoctoral research associate in physics, will participate in the integration and testing activities for TIGERISS. 

Other institutions involved include NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility; Howard University; Pennsylvania State University; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; and Northern Kentucky University.

NASA has announced intentions to retire the ISS in the early 2030s. “Our initial aim for our experiment is one year, but we aspire to remain until the conclusion of the space station,” remarked Rauch. 

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