Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy Conference

Facility-class x-ray observatories will rely upon large-area precision optics to achieve the sensitivity and angular resolution required to build upon the successes of Chandra and of XMM-Newton. NASA, ESA, JAXA, and other agencies continue research toward developing technologies for lightweight, large-area, precision, x-ray mirror and grating systems. Indeed, ESA has selected ATHENA (1.4 m2 effective area and 5 arcsecond angular resolution), an x-ray mission enabled by development of innovative .. continue reading x-ray optics, as the second large-class mission in its Science Program. Meanwhile, NASA is studying the Lynx X-Ray Surveyor, based upon a telescope with an angular resolution comparable to that of Chandra (≈ 0.5 arcsecond) and collecting area 20 times greater. Such missions will revolutionize our understanding of the physics of astronomical systems and enable frontier science from first accretion light in the Universe to solar-system objects.