Instrument Information
IDENTIFIER urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument:irtf-maunakea.3m2.spex::1.3
NAME SpeX
TYPE Spectrometer
DESCRIPTION SpeX is a medium-resolution spectrograph, operational since May 2000 at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea. It underwent an upgrade in 2014 to replace outdated electronics and enhance its capabilities, including increased wavelength coverage and improved spectral sensitivity. Key changes included replacing old detector arrays with improved models and upgrading most warm electronic hardware. The upgrade, funded by the National Science Foundation, introduced new spectral modes and allowed for more robust instrument control, reducing software issues. The document compares old and new configurations of SpeX, detailing changes in pixel size, slit widths, and spectral ranges. Overall, the upgrade has enhanced SpeX's functionality in astronomical research.
MODEL IDENTIFIER
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REFERENCES Rayner, J.T., P. M. Onaka, M. C. Cushing and W. D. Vacca, Four Years of Good SpeX, inGround-based Instrumentation for Astronomy, A. F. M. Moorwood and M. Iye, Eds.,Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 5492, pp. 1498-1509, 2004, doi:10.1117/12.551107.

Rayner, J. T., D. W. Toomey, P. M. Onaka, A. J. Denault, W. E. Stahlberger, and 3others, SpeX: A Medium-Resolution 0.8 - 5.5 micron Spectrograph and Imager for theNASA Infrared Telescope Facility, PASP 115, 362, 2003, doi:10.1086/367745.