Abstract

The ATHENA mission (Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics) of the European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing for launching an X-ray observatory into space, to address fundamental questions about energetic objects such as galaxy groups and clusters, the evolution of black holes, strong gravity effects, neutron star structure as well as investigations into dark matter. Located at a L1 orbit, the telescope will be equipped with instrumentation able to perform both X-ray imaging and spectroscopy. An overview of the mission design and goals will be presented, in addition to the developments of the mission enabling X-ray optics technology, in which ALBA is involved.

Event for ALBA staff