The NewAthena project is a astrophysical project with worldwide exposure. It is posed to contribute to both modern astrophysics as multi-messenger astrophysics. Micronit and cosine partner up in developing and producing the X-ray Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) for ESA.

About ESA NewAthena

The selection process for the initial project, named Athena, began in March 2013, when ESA invited the European scientific community to propose themes for the second and third large missions under the Cosmic Vision programme of the ESA Science Programme. In November 2013, the theme "The Hot and Energetic Universe" was chosen for the L2 mission, while "The Gravitational Universe" (later developed as LISA) was selected for L3.

Following eight years of studies, the ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC) concluded in June 2022 that the Athena could not be adopted, but in November 2023, the SPC approved a redesigned version of the Athena X-ray observatory, known as NewAthena.

This flagship mission has a planned launch date for 2036-2037. With the NewAthena X-ray telescope scientists hope to answer two big scientific questions:

• How and why ordinary matter clumps together to form galaxies?
• How do black holes grow and affect their environment?

It is expected that NewAthena will do observations for at least five, but possibly even ten years. The telescope will have two instruments: a camera-cum spectrometer (X-ray Integral Field Unit, X-IFU) and a wide-area camera (Wide Field Imager, WFI). In 2027, ESA will make a decision about the launch of the NewAthena.

Silicon Pore Optics in NewAthena

Dutch research institute SRON has been asked to develop an ultra-sensitive detector for the NewAthena X-ray telescope’s camera. Our partner cosine will provide advanced mirrors to catch space rays which can then be seen on the detector. These mirrors are a revolutionary optical system, for which stacked thin plates of silicon act as a lens that will lead the caught X-ray light to the two instruments, the camera-cum spectrometer, and the wide-area camera. This is called Silicon Pore Optics (SPO).

Micronit’s role

Together with our highly appreciated partner cosine, we’re developing the X-ray Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) for the New-Athena mission. Cosine is heading the academic and industrial consortium that is developing SPO for ESA, Micronit is an industry partner in this operation. We are working on the silicon plates that form the optical system of the NewAthena, meeting ESA’s requirements. The mirrors, consisting of stacked thin plates of silicon, are processed in our cleanroom.

SPO applications in medical sector

We see major opportunities for these Silicon Pore Optics to be applied in medical sciences and diagnostics. For example, a LAUE-lens could be equipped with SPO.