Kavli Affiliate: Kent Irwin
| First 5 Authors: Didier Barret, Vincent Albouys, Jan-Willem den Herder, Luigi Piro, Massimo Cappi
| Summary:
The Athena X-ray Integral Unit (X-IFU) is the high resolution X-ray
spectrometer, studied since 2015 for flying in the mid-30s on the Athena space
X-ray Observatory, a versatile observatory designed to address the Hot and
Energetic Universe science theme, selected in November 2013 by the Survey
Science Committee. Based on a large format array of Transition Edge Sensors
(TES), it aims to provide spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy, with a
spectral resolution of 2.5 eV (up to 7 keV) over an hexagonal field of view of
5 arc minutes (equivalent diameter). The X-IFU entered its System Requirement
Review (SRR) in June 2022, at about the same time when ESA called for an
overall X-IFU redesign (including the X-IFU cryostat and the cooling chain),
due to an unanticipated cost overrun of Athena. In this paper, after
illustrating the breakthrough capabilities of the X-IFU, we describe the
instrument as presented at its SRR, browsing through all the subsystems and
associated requirements. We then show the instrument budgets, with a particular
emphasis on the anticipated budgets of some of its key performance parameters.
Finally we briefly discuss on the ongoing key technology demonstration
activities, the calibration and the activities foreseen in the X-IFU Instrument
Science Center, and touch on communication and outreach activities, the
consortium organisation, and finally on the life cycle assessment of X-IFU
aiming at minimising the environmental footprint, associated with the
development of the instrument. It is expected that thanks to the studies
conducted so far on X-IFU, along the design-to-cost exercise requested by ESA,
the X-IFU will maintain flagship capabilities in spatially resolved high
resolution X-ray spectroscopy, enabling most of the original X-IFU related
scientific objectives of the Athena mission to be retained (abridged).
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