A 3D view of the CUBIC instrument is shown in Figure 6.
The experiment employs two mechanically collimated CCDs in a common
vacuum housing.
The use of two CCDs
provides redundancy for the prime detector element, as well as allowing
us to obtain simultaneous on- and off-source spectra (see section
4.2.10).
The detectors view the sky along the satellite X-axis,
from the anti-solar axis of the
satellite, allowing us to observe any part of the sky during
a six month interval
by rolling the satellite appropriately. Heat from the
detector cooling system is radiated to space through the top
plate of the instrument, which is on the anti-solar side of
the satellite.
