The NewAthena mission is a planned X-ray observatory designed to study high-energy phenomena in space, such as supermassive black holes and hot gas structures. Scheduled for launch around 2037, the telescope will orbit at the first Lagrange point, a stable location between the Sun and Earth where gravitational forces balance. Its main goal is to answer fundamental questions about how matter forms in the universe and how black holes influence their galaxies.
The spacecraft will use two cameras to capture X-rays, which are emitted by extremely hot matter. A key component of this mission is advanced circuitry developed by NIST, which uses superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) to read signals from sensitive sensors. This collaboration involves scientists from 11 countries and aims to map the elemental composition and movement of cosmic objects with high precision.
Keywords: superconducting quantum interference devices, transition-edge-sensor, X-ray integral field unit