A team of CSIC researchers presents the new X-ray observatory that promises to revolutionise the cosmos observation: the NewAthena mission, an observatory that will use multi-messenger astrophysics with two advanced instruments: a detector capable of mapping large sky areas in search of X-ray sources and an integral field unit, which will provide key data on the composition of cosmic objects.

The observatory, which is being developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), has the participation of, among other national and international centres, the Institute of Physics of Cantabria (IFCA, CSIC-University of Cantabria), and the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC). The mission is expected to be officially adopted in 2027, with a projected launch in 2036-2037.

Now, a study published in Nature Astronomy and authored, among others, by two Spanish researchers, Francisco Carrera, from the Institute of Physics of Cantabria (IFCA, CSIC-University of Cantabria), and Nanda Rea, from the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) and the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), defines the main lines of an X-ray observatory designed to multiply the sensitivity and capabilities offered by current instruments.

“NewAthena is designed to revolutionise X-ray spectroscopy and mapping, allowing us to observe cosmic phenomena with unprecedented precision,” says Francisco Carrera, who underlines the importance of this project “to answer some of the most fundamental questions of modern astrophysics.”

A leap towards multi-messenger astrophysics

The NewAthena mission will not only improve the study of X-rays in the cosmos, but will also open new doors in multi-messenger astrophysics, a field that combines data from light, gravitational waves and neutrinos to explore extreme phenomena in the Universe. According to Nanda Rea, this technology “will allow us to delve deeper into topics such as the impact of stars on planetary habitability, the equation that rules matter in neutron stars, the production and distribution of metals in the cosmos, the mechanisms behind the cosmological evolution of baryons trapped in concentrations of dark matter, or the effects of supermassive black holes on galactic evolution.”

Among its technical features, NewAthena will feature two advanced instruments: a wide-field detector capable of mapping large sky areas in search of X-ray sources, which will allow the physical properties of these regions to be studied efficiently; and an integral field unit, designed to obtain images and X-ray spectra at each point, providing key data on the composition and physical state of cosmic objects.

An international effort towards the future

The NewAthena mission is based on decades of collaboration between international agencies such as ESA, NASA and JAXA, as well as the scientific and technical work of institutions around the world. For Silvia Martínez, manager of the Athena Community Office (ACO), “this joint effort promises to open a new era in astronomical observation, consolidating NewAthena as a key reference in the next generation of space missions.”

“For young people interested in space science, this is an opportunity to contribute to a project that will redefine our understanding of the Universe,” Carrera concludes.

IFCA-CSIC-UC/ICE-CSIC Communication