Part of a satellite spectral analyzer

This came out of a scrapped assembly.  I think it was part of a satellite / rover spectral analyzer that was never flown.  Already stripped out when I got this part.

I think the device may have been some sort of prototype chemical analysis payload component.  There was a lot of nickel (very pure) tubing moving things around, and other things.

The small linear array in this package suggests to me that it may be part of a spectrograph instrument of some sort, since that sort of optical sensor is common in those applications.

This is far too new to be a slit scanner for stellar light, and the nickel tubing used suggests there was plumbing for holding something under test, perhaps a gas.

More views of the sensor and container

 Internal view showing the linear array

 magnified side view thru the aperture showing one of the larger small parts, surface mount.  The white showing in all of these is a circuit board, probably ceramic.

 Appears to be possible column driver chips or resistor networks next to the array.

 Another chip.  There are leads down the two sides visible, and from the traces, probably around the entire chip.

View showing the entier stack.  Bottom is probably aluminum, then a brass round base, and cylinder carrier that the glass is carried in.  The white sleaves over blue wires are over the leads which come from the glass / metal lead feed thrus around the ring of the chip. 

Top appears to be brass, hopefully not beryllium or some other fun metal.  it is rounded as seen, probably to make reflected light off of it deflect away from the sensor window, which is out of view on top.