Scope of the conference
As NewAthena progresses towards mission adoption, the meeting will bring together the international high-energy astrophysics community to discuss the mission’s scientific goals, future observing programmes, and synergies with current and upcoming facilities. The conference will provide a forum for presenting recent scientific results, strengthening collaborations, and maximising the scientific return of ESA’s next flagship X-ray observatory.
The scientific programme will cover a broad range of topics in high-energy astrophysics, including galaxy groups and clusters, supermassive black holes, compact objects, transient phenomena, multi-messenger astrophysics, and the interplay between high-energy observations and other major astronomical facilities.
The NewAthena mission
NewAthena (New Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics) is ESA’s next flagship X-ray observatory, currently planned for launch in 2037. The mission is designed to address some of the most fundamental questions in modern astrophysics, including the formation and evolution of large-scale cosmic structures, the growth and impact of supermassive black holes, and the behaviour of matter under extreme physical conditions.
The observatory will combine an unprecedented X-ray collecting area with powerful imaging and high-resolution spectroscopic capabilities provided by its two scientific instruments: the Wide Field Imager (WFI) and the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU). Together, these instruments will enable transformational studies of the hot and energetic Universe across a wide range of astrophysical environments.
Further information about the mission, its scientific objectives, and current development status can be found on the official NewAthena website: https://www.the-athena-x-ray-observatory.eu/en