The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory

TL;DR

The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory is a joint JAXA/NASA mission designed to explore high-energy astrophysics using four advanced instruments covering 0.3 keV to 600 keV with high spectral resolution and broad energy coverage.

Contribution

This paper introduces the ASTRO-H mission, featuring a suite of four innovative instruments that provide unprecedented broad energy coverage and spectral resolution for high-energy universe studies.

Findings

Successful integration of four advanced X-ray instruments

Wide energy range coverage from 0.3 keV to 600 keV

High spectral resolution enabling detailed astrophysical analysis

Abstract

The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the high-energy universe via a suite of four instruments, covering a very wide energy range, from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. These instruments include a high-resolution, high-throughput spectrometer sensitive over 0.3-2 keV with high spectral resolution of Delta E < 7 eV, enabled by a micro-calorimeter array located in the focal plane of thin-foil X-ray optics; hard X-ray imaging spectrometers covering 5-80 keV, located in the focal plane of multilayer-coated, focusing hard X-ray mirrors; a wide-field imaging spectrometer sensitive over 0.4-12 keV, with an X-ray CCD camera in the focal plane of a soft X-ray telescope; and a non-focusing Compton-camera type soft gamma-ray detector, sensitive in the 40-600 keV band. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral resolution, will enable the pursuit of a wide variety of important science themes.