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22-642: Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer , commonly known as IXPE or SMEX-14 , is a space observatory with three identical telescopes designed to measure the polarization of cosmic X-rays of black holes, neutron stars, and pulsars. The observatory, which was launched on 9 December 2021, is an international collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It is part of NASA's Explorers program, which designs low-cost spacecraft to study heliophysics and astrophysics. The mission will study exotic astronomical objects and permit mapping of

44-667: A ground station in Malindi , Kenya. The ground station is owned and operated by the Italian Space Agency. At present mission operations for IXPE are controlled by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) . In May 2022 the first study of IXPE hinted the possibility of vacuum birefringence on 4U 0142+61 and in August another study looked at Centaurus A measuring low polarization degree, suggesting that

66-601: A large telescope that would not be hindered by Earth's atmosphere. After lobbying in the 1960s and 70s for such a system to be built, Spitzer's vision ultimately materialized into the Hubble Space Telescope , which was launched on April 24, 1990, by the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31). This was launched due to many efforts by Nancy Grace Roman, "mother of Hubble", who was the first Chief of Astronomy and first female executive at NASA. She

88-505: A type of Micropattern gaseous detector , rely on the anisotropy of the emission direction of photoelectrons produced by polarized photons to gauge with high sensitivity the polarization state of X-rays interacting in a gaseous medium. Position-dependent and energy-dependent polarization maps of such synchrotron-emitting sources will reveal the magnetic-field structure of the X-ray emitting regions. X-ray polarimetric imaging better indicates

110-491: Is a set of three identical imaging X-ray polarimetry systems mounted on a common optical bench and co-aligned with the pointing axis of the spacecraft. Each system operates independently for redundancy and comprises a mirror module assembly that focuses X-rays onto a polarization-sensitive imaging detector developed in Italy. The 4 m (13 ft) focal length is achieved using a deployable boom. The Gas Pixel Detectors (GPD),

132-575: Is built to last for two years. After that it may be retired and deorbited or given an extended mission. After launch and deployment of the IXPE spacecraft, NASA pointed the spacecraft at 1ES 1959+650, a black hole, and SMC X-1, a pulsar, for calibration. After that the spacecraft observed its first science target, Cassiopeia A . A first-light image of Cassiopeia A was released on 11 January 2022. 30 targets are planned to be observed during IXPE's first year. IXPE communicates with Earth via

154-504: Is more important for frequency ranges that are outside the optical window and the radio window , the only two wavelength ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum that are not severely attenuated by the atmosphere. For example, X-ray astronomy is nearly impossible when done from Earth, and has reached its current importance in astronomy only due to orbiting X-ray telescopes such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory and

176-635: The Galactic Center . The spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies . The principal investigator is Martin C. Weisskopf of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center ; he is the chief scientist for X-ray astronomy at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and project scientist for the Chandra X-ray Observatory spacecraft. Other partners include the McGill University , Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Roma Tre University , Stanford University , OHB Italia and

198-773: The Soviet space program (later succeeded by Roscosmos of Russia). As of 2022, many space observatories have already completed their missions, while others continue operating on extended time. However, the future availability of space telescopes and observatories depends on timely and sufficient funding. While future space observatories are planned by NASA, JAXA and the CNSA , scientists fear that there would be gaps in coverage that would not be covered immediately by future projects and this would affect research in fundamental science. On 16 January 2023, NASA announced preliminary considerations of several future space telescope programs, including

220-573: The University of Colorado Boulder . The technical and science objectives include: The space observatory features three identical telescopes designed to measure the polarization of cosmic X-rays . The polarization-sensitive detector was invented and developed by Italian scientists of the Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica (INAF) and the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) and was refined over several years. IXPE's payload

242-577: The XMM-Newton observatory . Infrared and ultraviolet are also largely blocked. Space telescopes are much more expensive to build than ground-based telescopes. Due to their location, space telescopes are also extremely difficult to maintain. The Hubble Space Telescope was serviced by the Space Shuttle , but most space telescopes cannot be serviced at all. Satellites have been launched and operated by NASA , ISRO , ESA , CNSA , JAXA and

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264-745: The Great Observatory Technology Maturation Program, Habitable Worlds Observatory , and New Great Observatories. Micropattern gaseous detector Micropattern gaseous detectors (MPGDs) are a group of gaseous ionization detectors consisting of microelectronic structures with sub-millimeter distances between anode and cathode electrodes. When interacting with the gaseous medium of the detector, particles of ionizing radiation create electrons and ions that are subsequently drifted apart by means of an electric field. The accelerated electrons create further electron-ion pairs in an avalanche process in regions with

286-422: The X-ray emission is coming from a scattering process rather than arising directly from the accelerated particles of the jet. In October 2022 it observed the gamma ray burst GRB 221009A , also known as the "Brightest of all time" (BOAT). Space observatory In 1946, American theoretical astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer , "father of Hubble" proposed to put a telescope in space. Spitzer's proposal called for

308-407: The correct orbit because IXPE is designed to operate in an almost exactly equatorial orbit with a 0° inclination . Launching from Cape Canaveral , which is located 28.5° above the equator , it was physically impossible to launch directly into a 0.2° equatorial orbit. Instead, the rocket needed to launch due east into a parking orbit and then perform a plane, or inclination, change once in space, as

330-519: The filtering and distortion of electromagnetic radiation ( scintillation or twinkling) due to the atmosphere . A telescope orbiting Earth outside the atmosphere is subject neither to twinkling nor to light pollution from artificial light sources on Earth. As a result, the angular resolution of space telescopes is often much higher than a ground-based telescope with a similar aperture . Many larger terrestrial telescopes, however, reduce atmospheric effects with adaptive optics . Space-based astronomy

352-473: The magnetic fields of black holes , neutron stars , pulsars , supernova remnants , magnetars , quasars , and active galactic nuclei . The high-energy X-ray radiation from these objects' surrounding environment can be polarized – oscillating in a particular direction. Studying the polarization of X-rays reveals the physics of these objects and can provide insights into the high-temperature environments where they are created. The IXPE mission

374-564: The magnetic structure in regions of strong electron acceleration. The system is capable to resolve point sources from surrounding nebular emission or from adjacent point sources. IXPE was launched on 9 December 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 ( B1061.5 ) from LC-39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The relatively small size and mass of the observatory falls well short of the normal capacity of SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle . However, Falcon 9 had to work to get IXPE into

396-409: The spacecraft crossed the equator. For Falcon 9, this meant that even the tiny 330 kg (730 lb) IXPE likely still represented about 20–30% of its maximum theoretical performance (1,500–2,000 kg (3,300–4,400 lb)) for such a mission profile, while the same launch vehicle is otherwise able to launch about 15,000 kg (33,000 lb) to the same 540 km (340 mi) orbit IXPE

418-550: The universe works". By obtaining X-ray polarimetry and polarimetric imaging of cosmic sources, IXPE addresses two specific science objectives: to determine the radiation processes and detailed properties of specific cosmic X-ray sources or categories of sources; and to explore general relativistic and quantum effects in extreme environments. During IXPE's two-year mission, it will study targets such as active galactic nuclei , quasars , pulsars , pulsar wind nebulae , magnetars , accreting X-ray binaries , supernova remnants , and

440-570: Was a program scientist that worked to convince NASA, Congress, and others that Hubble was "very well worth doing". The first operational space telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory , OAO-2 launched in 1968, and the Soviet Orion 1 ultraviolet telescope aboard space station Salyut 1 in 1971. Performing astronomy from ground-based observatories on Earth is limited by

462-594: Was announced on 3 January 2017 and was launched on 9 December 2021. The international collaboration was signed in June 2017, when the Italian Space Agency (ASI) committed to provide the X-ray polarization detectors. The estimated cost of the mission and its two-year operation is US$ 188 million (the launch cost is US$ 50.3 million). The goal of the IXPE mission is to expand understanding of high-energy astrophysical processes and sources, in support of NASA's first science objective in astrophysics: "Discover how

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484-535: Was targeting when no plane change is needed, while recovering the first stage booster. IXPE is the first satellite dedicated to measuring the polarization of X-rays from a variety of cosmic sources, such as black holes and neutron stars . The orbit hugging the equator will minimize the X-ray instrument's exposure to radiation in the South Atlantic Anomaly , the region where the inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to Earth's surface. IXPE

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