Ball Aerospace to begin testing Nasa’s IXPE observatory

Ball Aerospace is set to start environmental testing of Nasa’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) space-based astrophysics observatory.

It follows the successful completion of spacecraft and payload assembly integration of IXPE at its Boulder, Colorado, US, facility.

IXPE, which is part of Nasa’s Astrophysics Explorer Program, is a Small Explorer (SMEX) mission, led by Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Centre with support from Ball Aerospace, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and other partners.

The testing will also include all instruments and the spacecraft bus.

Ball Aerospace civil space vice-president and general manager Dr Makenzie Lystrup said: “It is truly a pleasure to work with an integrated team that includes government, industry, academia, and international partners on a mission that will gather exciting and important science supported by Ball’s commitment to delivering science at any scale.

“Moving IXPE into environmental testing is an important step, gearing up towards launch this year as it ensures the observatory will be able to withstand the effects of the launch into space.”

IXPE is designed to measure the polarisation of cosmic X-rays and will enhance our understanding of the fundamental physics of extreme and exotic objects, including black holes.

The mission is scheduled for launch later this year.

Nasa Marshall Space Flight Centre Dr Martin Weisskopf serves as the principal investigator for the mission.

In September last year, Nasa selected Ball Aerospace to proceed with three studies to develop future sustainable land imaging (SLI) technologies.