First Images from HERO: A Hard-X-Ray Focusing Telescope

We are developing a balloon-borne hard-x-ray telescope that utilizes grazing incidence optics. Termed HERO, for High-Energy Replicated Optics, the instrument will provide unprecented sensitivity in the hard-x-ray region and will achieve milliCrab-level sensitivity in a typical 3-hour balloon-flight observation and 50 microCrab sensitivity on ultra-long-duration flights. A recent proof-of-concept flight, featuring a small number of mirror shells captured the first focused hard-x-ray images of galactic x-ray sources. Full details of the payload, its expected future performance and its recent measurements are provided

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS)

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) is a sounding rocket instrument that flew on July 30, 2021 from the White Sands Missile Range, NM. The instrument was designed to address specific science questions that require differential emission measures of the solar soft X-ray spectrum from 6 – 25[Formula: see text]Å(0.5 – 2.1[Formula: see text]keV). MaGIXS comprises a Wolter-I telescope, a slit-jaw imaging system, an identical pair of grazing incidence paraboloid mirrors, a planar grating and a CCD camera. While implementing this design, some limitations were encountered in the production of the X-ray mirrors, which ended up as a catalyst for the development of a deterministic polishing approach and an improved meteorological technique that utilizes a computer-generated hologram (CGH). The opto-mechanical design approach addressed the need to have adjustable and highly repeatable interfaces to allow for the complex alignment between the optical sub-assemblies. The alignment techniques employed when mounting the mirrors and throughout instrument integration and end-to-end testing are discussed. Also presented are spatial resolution measurements of the end-to-end point-spread-function that were obtained during testing in the X-ray Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Lastly, unresolved issues and off-nominal performance are discussed

Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer: Prelaunch

Launched on 2021 December 9, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a NASA Small Explorer Mission in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The mission will open a new window of investigation—imaging x-ray polarimetry. The observatory features three identical telescopes, each consisting of a mirror module assembly with a polarization-sensitive imaging x-ray detector at the focus. A coilable boom, deployed on orbit, provides the necessary 4-m focal length. The observatory utilizes a three-axis-stabilized spacecraft, which provides services such as power, attitude determination and control, commanding, and telemetry to the ground. During its 2-year baseline mission, IXPE will conduct precise polarimetry for samples of multiple categories of x-ray sources, with follow-on observations of selected targets

The Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE): Technical overview II

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will add polarization to the properties (time, energy, and position) observed in x-ray astronomy. A NASA Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), IXPE will measure the 2-8-keV polarization of a few dozen sources during the first 2 years following its 2021 launch. The IXPE Observatory includes three identical x-ray telescopes, each comprising a 4-m-focal-length (grazingincidence) mirror module assembly (MMA) and a polarization-sensitive (imaging) detector unit (DU), separated by a deployable optical bench. The Observatory's Spacecraft provides typical subsystems (mechanical, structural, thermal, power, electrical, telecommunications, etc.), an attitude determination and control subsystem for 3-Axis stabilized pointing, and a command and data handling subsystem communicating with the science instrument and the Spacecraft subsystems

The Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE): technical overview II

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will add polarization to the properties (time, energy, and position) observed in x-ray astronomy. A NASA Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), IXPE will measure the 2–8-keV polarization of a few dozen sources during the first 2 years following its 2021 launch. The IXPE Observatory includes three identical x-ray telescopes, each comprising a 4-m-focal-length (grazingincidence) mirror module assembly (MMA) and a polarization-sensitive (imaging) detector unit (DU), separated by a deployable optical bench. The Observatory’s Spacecraft provides typical subsystems (mechanical, structural, thermal, power, electrical, telecommunications, etc.), an attitude determination and control subsystem for 3-axis stabilized pointing, and a command and data handling subsystem communicating with the science instrument and the Spacecraft subsystems