Optimizing the TRD design for ACCESS

The present ACCESS design combines an ionization calorimeter with a transition radiation detector (TRD) to measure the cosmic ray composition and energy spectrum from H to Fe at energies above 1 TeV/nucleon to the “knee” in the all particle spectrum. We are in the process of optimizing the TRD design to extend the range of the technique to as high an energy as possible given the constraints of the International Space Station mission and the need to coexist with the calorimeter. The current status of the design effort and preliminary results will be presented.

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