Performance of the SPARCS UV camera and detectors

The Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) is 6U CubeSat whose mission will be to observe low-mass stars in two ultraviolet (UV) bands. SPARCS will provide time-dependent spectral slope, intensity, and evolution of stellar radiation with the goal of understanding the short and long term variability of these targets. Here we will summarize the performance of SPARCam, the science camera for SPARCS. SPARCam is a two-detector camera system allowing independent commanding of two delta-doped, UV CCD47-20 detectors, separately optimized for the SPARCS near-UV (NUV; 260–300 nm) and far-UV (FUV; 153–171 nm) bands. The presentation will include a description of the camera electronics as well as an in-depth characterization of the UV detectors. SPARCam was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and delivered to Arizona State University in October 2023.