Next Generation X-ray Optics: High Resolution, Light Weight, and Low Cost (NGXO)

We propose to continue developing an X-ray mirror technology to meet a critical need of many X-ray astrophysical missions being proposed, ranging from the flagship mission Lynx, to Probe missions such as AXIS, LEM, and HEX-P, MIDEX missions such as STAR-X, SMEX missions such as DAISI, and sounding rocket missions such as OGRE. Initiated in the late 1990s to support Constellation-X, which required a 15" PSF, the objective of this technology development effort has become continually more ambitious over the past two decades both because of rapid technical progress we have been making and because of rapid progress of X-ray astrophysics being made by operating missions like Chandra, XMM-Newton, Swift, and NuSTAR. As of 2022, the objective of this effort is to make ready an X-ray mirror technology that enables the construction of X-ray telescopes that have comparable PSF to Chandra's in the near term (2025) and much better PSF in the long term (2030), are at least 10 times lighter, and have at least 10 times lower production cost per unit mirror surface area. Over the past four years, exclusively using ISFM funding, we made excellent progress in every technical area: mirror fabrication, coating, alignment, bonding, and engineering of building and testing modules. As of August 2022, we have: 1) developed a mirror fabrication process that can manufacture mirror segments that are 3 times better in PSF, 30 times lighter in mass, and 30 times cheaper in production cost than those of Chandra; 2) coated mirror segments with a layer of Pt+Al2O3 that meet both reflectivity and distortion requirements of a sub-arcsecond mirror assembly; and 3) advanced mirror alignment and bonding techniques, achieving a 0.83" HPD image with a pair of mirror segments and a 2.8" HPD image with five pairs of mirror segments co-aligned and bonded. In the coming three years, we will capitalize on those developments and focus our effort on developing a new method of bonding mirror segments that will realize the full sub-arcsecond potential of the mirror segments, building mirror modules of multiple pairs that will X-ray test better than 1" HPD and pass all spaceflight environmental tests: vibration, thermal-vacuum, acoustic, and shock, retiring both technical and programmatic risks associated with making mirrors for the Probes.

The Internal Scientist Funding Model (ISFM) is a recently established direct-funding model after 3 years of pilot program, now established as permanent, whereby APD funds technology development work by NASA scientists through a separate channel than competed programs like APRA. APD may find it advisable to directly fund certain technology-development projects, e.g., for programmatic reasons such as ensuring NASA meets commitments made to international partners including the European Space Agency (ESA). Another reason may be to optimize the scientific and technological output of NASA scientists and technology developers.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.