The C1XS instrument, a sophisticated X-ray camera developed by the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in the U.K. at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and ISRO, is in full working order and is ready to start mapping the composition of the lunar surface after its journey to the moon on board India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

Measurements taken using the C1XS internal calibration sources have now been compared with pre-launch calibration data. The comparisons revealed all 24 detectors are performing as expected. Inspection of the housekeeping data also showed no anomalies. Following these tests, the instrument door was opened and data collected from both the sunlit and dark sides of the Moon. The excellent spectral resolution the C1XS instrument demonstrated during ground measurements has now been replicated in lunar orbit. There is now a real sense of excitement within the C1XS team at the prospect of acquiring their first real X-ray spectra from the Moon during a solar active time. (Photo of Chandrayann-1 is courtesy of ISRO.)