GLAST TRACKER TRAY: THERMAL AND DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE

The Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope is a high energy gamma-ray astronomy mission planned for launch in 2006. A Large Area Telescope is proposed to make observations of gamma ray sources in the 20 MeV ÷TeV energy range. A detector for space application should demonstrate satisfactory performance in the expected mission phase by appropriate analysis and tests. Following NASA requirements, we have defined a test plan to qualify and accept for workmanship the tracker trays. Thermal and dynamic tests have been performed on tray prototypes: their results will be presented.