Athena square Silicon Pore Optics mirror modules for ATHENA telescope

Facts & Figures

Client: ESA Science & Technology

Mission: Athena

Year launch: 2031

TRL: 5

Mass: 0.4 kg, effective collecting area 12 cm² @ 1 keV

Imaging resolution: 5 arcsec HEW

Focal length: 12 m

Effective area: 1.5 m² through combining 600 SPO modules

Coating: Cr+Ir

Option: Multilayers or low-Z overcoating to boost the response up to 69 keV

Option: Custom development for different focal length and imaging resolution

cosine is developing and producing the mirror modules for Athena (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics), the X-ray observatory mission selected by ESA, within its Cosmic Vision program, to address the Hot and Energetic Universe scientific theme. Athena will be the largest X-ray telescope ever flown and consists of a single large-aperture 2.4 m diameter, grazing-incidence X-ray telescope with 1.5 m² of effective area at 1 keV, utilizing cosine’s novel Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) technology, with 12 m focal length and 5 arc sec HEW on-axis angular resolution.

Learn more about the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU), the scientific instrument which will be placed at the focal point of the Athena telescope, in order to observe galaxies, black holes and exploding stars.

Image credits: cosine and ESA

Watch video
Athena XIFU
Athena XIFU
Stars
Silicon Pore Optics Mirror Modules For ATHENA Telescope
Silicon Pore Optics Mirror Modules For ATHENA Telescope
Silicon Pore Optics Mirror Modules For ATHENA Telescope
Silicon Pore Optics Mirror Modules For ATHENA Telescope

Main technologies used

Optics
High-energy optics
Testing
Testing & Qualification
Simulations
Simulations
Want to know more? Let us know!
Max Collon
+31 71 528 4962
m.collon@cosine.nl
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