2010•NASA Technical Reports Server (NASA)Requires access
Focusing X-Ray Telescopes
Stephen L. O’Dell, Roger Brissenden, William J. Davis, Ronald F. Elsner, M. Elvis, Mark Freeman, T. J. Gaetz, P. Gorenstein, Mikhall Gubarev, Diab Jerlus, M. Juda, J. Kolodziejczak, S. S. Murray, Robert Petre, William Podgorski, Brian D. Ramsey, Paul B. Reid, Timo T. Saha, S. J. Wolk, Susan Troller-McKinstry, Martin C. Weisskopf, Rudeger H. T. Wilke, William Zhang
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Abstract
During the half-century history of x-ray astronomy, focusing x-ray telescopes, through increased effective area and finer angular resolution, have improved sensitivity by 8 orders of magnitude. Here, we review previous and current x-ray-telescope missions. Next, we describe the planned next-generation x-ray-astronomy facility, the International X-ray Observatory (IXO). We conclude with an overview of a concept for the next next-generation facility, Generation X. Its scientific objectives will require very large areas (about 10,000 sq m) of highly-nested, lightweight grazing-incidence mirrors, with exceptional (about 0.1-arcsec) resolution. Achieving this angular resolution with lightweight mirrors will likely require on-orbit adjustment of alignment and figure.