International Workshop on Astronomical X–Ray Optics
Prague 2011
Presentation details
Next generation x-ray optics
Presentation duration: 30 minutes
Presenter: William Zhang
Astronomical observation in the x-ray band (wavelength from ~100 – 0.1 Angstroms) must take place above the atmosphere on a space platform. The most effective means of collecting x-ray photons is with imaging optics. As such lightweight and high angular resolution optics are essential for continued success of x-ray astronomy in coming years and decades. In this paper, I will briefly review the development of x-ray optics for astronomy in the past few decades and outline the technical approaches that we have adopted at the Goddard Space Flight Center for developing lightweight and high resolution x-ray optics to enable small and medium missions that can be implemented in the current decade as well flagship missions that can be implemented in the 2020’s.