Technology requirements for a square meter, arcsecond resolution telescope for x-rays: the SMART-X mission

Daniel A. Schwartz; Ryan Allured; Jay A. Bookbinder; Vincenzo Cotroneo; William R. Forman; Mark D. Freeman; Stuart McMuldroch; Paul B. Reid; Harvey Tananbaum; Alexey A. Vikhlinin; Raegan L. Johnson-Wilke; Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry; Rudeger H. T. Wilke; Thomas N Jackson; J. Israel Ramirez; Mikhail V. Gubarev; Jeffery J. Kolodziejczak; Stephen L. O'Dell; Brian D. Ramsey

doi:10.1117/12.2063469

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17 September 2014 Technology requirements for a square meter, arcsecond resolution telescope for x-rays: the SMART-X mission

Daniel A. Schwartz, Ryan Allured, Jay A. Bookbinder, Vincenzo Cotroneo, William R. Forman, Mark D. Freeman, Stuart McMuldroch, Paul B. Reid, Harvey Tananbaum, Alexey A. Vikhlinin, Raegan L. Johnson-Wilke, Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry, Rudeger H. T. Wilke, Thomas N Jackson, J. Israel Ramirez, Mikhail V. Gubarev, Jeffery J. Kolodziejczak, Stephen L. O'Dell, Brian D. Ramsey

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Proceedings Volume 9208, Adaptive X-Ray Optics III; 920806 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2063469
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Addressing the astrophysical problems of the 2020’s requires sub-arcsecond x-ray imaging with square meter effective area. Such requirements can be derived, for example, by considering deep x-ray surveys to find the young black holes in the early universe (large redshifts) which will grow into the first super-massive black holes. We have envisioned a mission, the Square Meter Arcsecond Resolution Telescope for X-rays (SMART-X), based on adjustable x-ray optics technology, incorporating mirrors with the required small ratio of mass to collecting area. We are pursuing technology which achieves sub-arcsecond resolution by on-orbit adjustment via thin film piezoelectric “cells” deposited directly on the non-reflecting sides of thin, slumped glass. While SMART-X will also incorporate state-of-the-art x-ray cameras, the remaining spacecraft systems have no requirements more stringent than those which are well understood and proven on the current Chandra X-ray Observatory.

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Daniel A. Schwartz, Ryan Allured, Jay A. Bookbinder, Vincenzo Cotroneo, William R. Forman, Mark D. Freeman, Stuart McMuldroch, Paul B. Reid, Harvey Tananbaum, Alexey A. Vikhlinin, Raegan L. Johnson-Wilke, Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry, Rudeger H. T. Wilke, Thomas N Jackson, J. Israel Ramirez, Mikhail V. Gubarev, Jeffery J. Kolodziejczak, Stephen L. O'Dell, and Brian D. Ramsey "Technology requirements for a square meter, arcsecond resolution telescope for x-rays: the SMART-X mission", Proc. SPIE 9208, Adaptive X-Ray Optics III, 920806 (17 September 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2063469

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