Alignment, assembly, and testing of high-energy x-ray optics

We are developing grazing incidence x-ray imaging optics for a balloon-borne hard x-ray telescope (HERO). The HERO payload, scheduled for launch in May 2006, consists of 8 mirror modules with 12 mirror shells each fabricated using electroform-nickel replication off super polished cylindrical mandrels. An optical system for alignment and assembly of the shells into their modules will be described together with an assessment of the systematic errors associated with this process. Full details of the assembly procedures and results of the on-ground x-ray testing of the HERO modules will be provided.