![]() Diagram of the XRISM observatory | |||||||
Names | XRISM ASTRO-H Successor ASTRO-H2 XARM | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mission type | X-ray astronomy | ||||||
Operator | JAXA | ||||||
COSPAR ID | 2023-137A | ||||||
SATCAT no. | 57800 | ||||||
Website | xrism www | ||||||
Mission duration | Planned: 3 years Elapsed: 1 year, 5 months, 2 days | ||||||
Spacecraft properties | |||||||
Spacecraft type | ASTRO | ||||||
Bus | ASTRO-H | ||||||
Launch mass | 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) | ||||||
Start of mission | |||||||
Launch date | 6 September 2023, 23:42:11 UTC[1] | ||||||
Rocket | H-IIA 202 | ||||||
Launch site | Tanegashima, LA-Y1 | ||||||
Contractor | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | ||||||
Orbital parameters | |||||||
Reference system | Geocentric orbit | ||||||
Regime | Low Earth orbit | ||||||
Perigee altitude | 550 km | ||||||
Apogee altitude | 550 km | ||||||
Inclination | 31.0° | ||||||
Period | 96.0 minutes | ||||||
Main telescope | |||||||
Name | Soft X-ray Telescope | ||||||
Diameter | 45 cm (18 in) [2] | ||||||
Focal length | 5.6 m (18 ft) | ||||||
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X-ray astronomy satellite in Japan |
The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM, pronounced 'crism'[3] or 'krizz-em'[4], as if the X was a chi), is an X-ray space telescope. It is a mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in partnership with NASA and ESA, intended to study galaxy clusters, outflows from galaxy nuclei, and dark matter.[5][6]
XRISM is a next generation X-ray astronomy spacecraft, succeeding the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton.[2][7] XRISM is intended to fill a gap in observational capabilities between the anticipated retirement of those older X-ray telescopes and the future launch of the planned Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (ATHENA). The Hitomi X-ray telescope was intended to fill that gap, but destroyed itself a few weeks after launch in 2016.[2][7] XRISM replaces Hitomi's role of filling the expected observational gap.
During its early design phase, XRISM was known as the "ASTRO-H Successor" or "ASTRO-H2". After the loss of Hitomi, the name X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission (XARM) was used, the R in the acronym referring to recovering Hitomi's capabilities. The name was changed to XRISM in 2018 when JAXA formally initiated the project team.[8]