An Overview of the Measuring Directivity to Determine Electron Anisotropy (MeDDEA) instrument on the PADRE CubeSat Observatory

Solar flares are known to efficiently accelerate particles to high energies, yet the underlying acceleration mechanism remains poorly understood. Jeffrey et al (2024) have shown that stereoscopic observations of hard X-rays can constrain the angular distribution of accelerated electrons and provide important new information on the acceleration mechanism in solar flares. The Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX) on board Solar Orbiter enables stereoscopic x-rays observations as it observes the Sun from different viewing angles than Earth. The solar PolArization and Directivity X-Ray Experiment (PADRE) is a NASA CubeSat mission that launched on June 23rd 2025 into low-earth orbit. Its science goal is to determine the degree of beaming of accelerated electrons in large solar flares. It hosts two instruments, one of which is the Measuring Directivity to Determine Anisotropy (MeDDEA) instrument which includes four STIX spare detectors to enable cross-calibrated stereoscopic measurement of x-rays from solar flares from 5 to 100 keV. We present on the details of the design of the MeDDEA instrument, its status, and initial x-ray observations.