Detection of cosmic X radiation by means of a multiwire proportional counter

A construction of a multiwire X-ray proportional counter tested in combination with the RGS-1M spectrometer in the ''Prognoz-6'' satellite is designed. The area of the counter window is approximately 100 cm2 and it is limited only by the device sizes. The construction diagram is given and the basic counter performance is studied. As a result of investigations the optimum distances between the wires ensuring the constant gas amplification coefficient and energy resolution in the whole working counter area at the minimum number of wires are chosen. To reduce background the second row of wires connected to the anticoincidence circuit has been introduced in the total gas volume. The results obtained of recording the known X-ray sources have shown that under experimental conditions in the ''Prognoz-6'' satellite the 0.1-0.3 cm-2s-1 sensitivity is attained