XRISM in a nutshell
XRISM (X-Ray Imaging Spectroscopy Mission) is a JAXA-led X-ray observatory, developed through an international collaboration with NASA and ESA. Its goal is to recover in the shortest possible time the promises of the main scientific goal of the ひとみ (Hitomi) mission, whose operations were prematurely terminated by a series of abnormal events and mishaps triggered by the attitude control system. XRISM will fulfil this promise with a highly complementary scientific payload, consisting of:
- Two identical X-ray Mirror Assemblies (XMA), delivering 1.7 arcmin in Half Power Diameter (HPD) Point Spread Function, and an effective area of about 300 cm2 at 6 keV
- A soft X-ray spectrometer (Resolve), equipped with a micro-calorimeter that will deliver a ≤7 eV energy resolution in the 0.3-13 keV energy band over an array of 35 sensitive pixels with a 3x3 arcminutes field-of-view
- A soft X-ray imager (Xtend), covering a 38'x38' field-of-view with a CCD detector ensuring an energy resolution ≤250 eV at 6 keV at the end of the nominal operational life
In consideration of ESA’s and direct Member States contributions to XRISM (including the Resolve filter wheel, its control electronics, and the Resolve MXS calibration sources developed by the University of Geneva in Switzerland and by SRON in the Netherlands), not less than 8% of the total Guest Observing Time, or an equivalent return as mutually agreed, shall be allocated to ESA. This time will be allocated by ESA through a competitive process open to the scientific community of the European member states. The deadline to submit proposal is the 22nd of February 2024. The instruction to prepare and submit proposals are available at the following URL: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xrism/announcements-of-opportunity.