The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) — a collaboration between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA, with significant participation from ESA — lifted off on a H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan at 07:42 p.m. EDT on September 6, 2023.
XRISM lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan at 07:42 p.m. EDT on September 6, 2023. Image credit: JAXA.
When we look up at the sky we see stars and galaxies, but these tell us relatively little about the workings of the Universe.
Invisible to our eyes, the X-ray emitting gas that lies in and between them can reveal so much more.
X-rays are released in the Universe’s most energetic explosions and hottest places. This includes the super-hot gas that envelops the Universe’s biggest building blocks: galaxy clusters.
XRISM is designed to detect X-ray light from this gas to help astronomers measure the total mass of these systems. This will reveal information about the formation and evolution of the Universe.
XRISM’s observations of galaxy clusters will also provide insight into how the Universe produced and distributed the chemical elements.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to JAXA for this successful launch,” said Carole Mundell, ESA’s Director of Science.
“I wish the mission team the best of luck getting XRISM to its operating orbit around Earth and preparing it for science observations.”
“X-ray astronomy enables us to study the most energetic phenomena in the Universe,” said Matteo Guainazzi, ESA project scientist for XRISM.
“It holds the key to answering important questions in modern astrophysics: how the largest structures in the Universe evolve, how the matter we are ultimately composed of was distributed through the cosmos, and how galaxies are shaped by massive black holes at their centers.”
“XRISM will be a valuable bridge between ESA’s other X-ray missions: XMM-Newton, which is still going strong after 24 years in space, and Athena, which is due to launch in the late 2030s.”
XRISM will study the Universe in X-ray light with an unprecedented combination of light collecting power and energy resolution. The mission will provide a picture of the dynamics in galaxy clusters, the chemical make-up of the Universe and the flow of matter around accreting supermassive black holes, among many other topics. Image credit: ESA.
Once XRISM reaches its operating orbit 550 km above Earth’s surface, scientists and engineers will begin a ten-month phase of testing and calibrating the spacecraft’s scientific instruments and verifying the science performance of the mission.
XRISM will then spend at least three years observing the most energetic objects and events in the cosmos based on proposals elaborated by scientists all over the world.
“Some of the things we hope to study with XRISM include the aftermath of stellar explosions and near-light-speed particle jets launched by supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies,” said Dr. Richard Kelley, XRISM principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
“But of course, we’re most excited about all the unexpected phenomena XRISM will discover as it observes our cosmos.”
“Once XRISM begins collecting data, scientists will have the opportunity to propose sources for the mission to study,” said Dr. Mihoko Yukita, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Johns Hopkins University.
“Researchers from around the world will have access to the cutting-edge work XRISM will be doing.”
