Upcoming and Recently Launched High-Energy Astrophysics Missions
Athena [ESA} - a large X-ray observatory "offering
spatially-resolved X-ray spectroscopy and deep wide-field X-ray spectral
imaging with performance greatly exceeding that offered by current X-ray
observatories like XMM-Newton and Chandra, or by missions like Hitomi and
SRG/eROSITA". Athena was proposed as a concept for a large effective area
mission for the ESA science program, incorporating a single telescope with a
fixed focal length (12 m) and two interchangeable instruments in the focal
plane, a wide-field imager (WFI) and an X-ray integral field unit (X-IFU),
i.e., an X-ray calorimeter. On Nov 28th, 2013, ESA selected the science theme
"The Hot and Energetic Universe" for its next large satellite mission (L2),
and on Jun 27th, 2014, it selected Athena as the mission for this theme.
NASA is working with ESA to define the possible NASA contribution to this
ESA-led X-ray mission. (To launch in 2028)
Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) [China] - satellite for
high-energy gamma-ray, electron and cosmic rays detection - will measure
electrons and photons with much higher energy resolution and energy reach than
achievable with existing space experiments in order to identify possible Dark
Matter signatures, and will also advance the understanding of the origin and
propagation mechanism of high energy cosmic rays, as well make new discoveries
in high energy gamma astronomy. (Launched on December 17, 2015)
Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope
(HXMT) [China] - 1-30 keV (imaging), 20-250 keV (direct demodulation
imaging) - will scan the Galactic Plane to find new transient sources and
monitor known variable sources, observe X-ray binaries to study the dynamics
and emission mechanism in strong gravitational or magnetic fields, and find
and study gamma-ray bursts .
[More] (Launched on June 15, 2017 and began science operations
on January 30, 2018)
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) [NASA] -
2-8 keV polarimeter with proportional counter resolution and sub-arcminute
spatial resolution. (To launch in Late 2020)
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) [ESA/NASA] - will be
the first space-based gravitational wave observatory. Selected to be ESA's
third large-class mission (L3), it will address the science theme of the
Gravitational Universe. LISA will consist of three spacecraft separated by
2.5 million km in a triangular formation, following Earth in its orbit around
the Sun. LISA is a collaboration of ESA and NASA. (To launch in 2034)
Lomonosov [Russian UHE Cosmic Ray and GRB Mission]
- includes gamma-ray burst detector and cosmic ray instrument.
[More] (Launched on April
28, 2016)
Spectrum-Roengten-Gamma (SRG) [Russian/German soft and hard X-ray mission]
- includes eROSITA X-ray
(0.5-10 keV) telescope (all-sky survey, then pointed observations)
[More]
(To launch in Fall 2018)
Space-based astronomical Variable Object Monitor (SVOM) [Sino-French GRB
mission] - with a 4-150 keV coded-mask telescope, a non-imaging gamma-ray (50
keV - 5 MeV) spectrometer, an optical telescope and a microchannel X-ray (0.2 -
10 keV) telescope with a lobster-eye optic. (To Launch in 2021)
X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) [JAXA/NASA with ESA participation]
- a high-throughput, high-resolution spectroscopy mission, consisting of
a narrow-field, high-resolution (Δ(E) ~ 5 - 7 eV) soft X-ray (E ~ 0.3 -
12 keV) spectrometer and a wider-field soft X-ray (0.5 - 12 keV) imager, i.e.,
similar to the SXS and SXI, respectively, flown on Hitomi
.
[More] (To Launch in 2022)
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