XRISM X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission │ JAXA

Project

Message

Mission of XRISM

The mission of XRISM project is to recover and resume the study of the prime science objective of ASTRO-H "to solve outstanding astrophysical questions with high resolution X-ray spectroscopy" as soon as possible. Through the development of ASTRO-H, we have succesfully proven in orbit the technology behind the ASTRO-H mission including the exquisite performance of the X-ray spectrometer which has a higher resolution than that of conventional X-ray imaging spectrometer by a factor of 30, and the deployment of an extendable optical bench of 12 m long focal length with low thermal distortion. Utilizing these results of the ASTRO-H development, learning from lessons of the project, we are realizing cutting edge science with high reliability in collaboration with NASA, ESA, and institutes in Japan and abroad.

XRISM
Project Manager (JAXA)

Hironori Maejima, Ph. D.

Opening a new doorway in X-ray Astronomy

Among all branches of astronomy dating back thousands of years, X-ray astronomy is a relatively new field with less than 60 years of research. However, despite such a short history, X-ray astronomy has observed black holes and neutron stars and detected the hot plasma in between galaxies. It is a field which continues to provide new images of the universe, as well as new observational techniques to reveal new information about the universe. The Resolve instrument (X-ray spectrometer) to be included in XRISM is the latest instrument to open up a new era of history. Learning from the sucesses and failures of ASTRO-H, XRISM will open a new doorway for the X-ray astronomy world.

XRISM
Mission Principal Investigator (JAXA)

Makoto S. Tashiro, Ph. D., professor

Development Plan

The project is progressing to open up a new world of high resolution X-ray spectroscopy in the early 2020s.

2017
project study
2018
start project, basic design/ detailed design
2019
detailed design/ production and test of instruments/ spacecraft assembly
2020
spacecraft assembly/ proto flight test
2022
proto flight test/ launch campaign
2023
Lift-off
X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI

List of participating institutions

XRISM is being developed under an international collaboration of JAXA, NASA, and ESA. With NASA's close cooperation, this project has advanced as a joint project. In addition to the three space agencies, more than 100 astrophysicists and experts from universities and research institutes from Japan, the United States, and Europe have joined to contribute to the satellite development, development of observation instruments and data processing software, and to further formulate the scientific observing plan.

  • JAXA(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
  • NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Agency)
  • ESA(European Space Agency)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan University
  • Kanazawa University
  • Kanto Gakuin University
  • University of Miyazaki
  • Saitama University
  • Neitherlands Institute for Space Research
  • University of Geneva
  • Canadian Space Agency
  • Gravitation AstroParticle Physics Amsterdam
  • Canadian Light Source Inc.
  • University of Chicago
  • Chuo University
  • University of Durham
  • Ehime University
  • European Sauther Observatory
  • Fujita Health University
  • Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
  • Hiroshima University
  • Kindai University
  • KONAN University
  • Kwansei Gakuin University
  • Kyoto University
  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Leiden University
  • University of Maryland
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • University of Michigan
  • Nagoya University
  • Nara University of Education
  • Nara Women's University
  • Nihon Fukushi University
  • Osaka University
  • RIKEN
  • Rikkyo University
  • Saint Mary’s University
  • Shibaura Institute of Technology
  • Shizuoka University
  • Tohoku Gakuin University
  • University of Tokyo
  • Tokyo University of Science
  • Waseda University
  • University of Waterloo
  • University of Wisconsin
  • Yale University

Member

Development team and leaders

Hironori Maejima
Project Manager
ISAS/JAXA
Makoto S. Tashiro
Principal Investigator
ISAS/JAXA, Saitama University
Kenichi Toda
Project Engineer
ISAS/JAXA
Kyoko Matsushita
Project Scientist
Tokyo University of Science
Hiroya Yamaguchi
deputy Project Scientist
ISAS/JAXA
Lillian Reichenthal
Project Manager
NASA/GSFC
Richard Kelley
co-PI
NASA/GSFC
Leslie Hartz
Mission Systems Engineer
NASA/GSFC
Robert Petre
Mission Scientist
NASA/GSFC
Brian Williams
Project Scientist
NASA/GSFC
Matteo Guainazzi
Project Scientist
ESA
Elisa Costantini
deputy Project Scientist
SRON

Resolve

Yoh Takei
Instrument Manager (JAXA)
ISAS/JAXA
Yoshitaka Ishisaki
Instrument PI (JAXA)
Tokyo Metropolitan University
Ryuichi Fujimoto
Instrument sub-PI (JAXA)
Kanazawa University
Joy Henegar-Leon
Instrument Manager (NASA)
NASA/GSFC
Richard Kelley
Instrument PI (NASA)
NASA/GSFC
Gary Sneiderman
Lead Instrument Systems Engineer (NASA)
NASA/GSFC

Xtend

Hiroshi Tomida
Instrument Manager
ISAS/JAXA
Koji Mori
Instrument PI
Miyazaki University
Hiroshi Nakajima
Instrumet deputy-PI
Kanto Gakuin University
Kiyoshi Hayashida
Former Instrument PI
(Osaka University)
Kiyoshi Hayashida
Former Instrument PI
(Osaka University)

Science/Mission Operations

Yukikatsu Terada
Science Operation Center Lead (JAXA)
Saitama University
Matt Holland
Science Data Center Lead (NASA)
NASA/GSFC
Shin Watanabe
Mission Operations Lead
ISAS/JAXA

In Flight Calibration Planning

Eric Miller
Lead
MIT
Makoto Sawada
co-Lead (NASA)
Rikkyo University

Laboratory Astrophysics

Timothy Kallman
Chair
NASA/GSFC
Jelle Kaastra
Vice Chair
SRON

Science target category

Chris Done
Galactic Compact chair
Durham University
Teruaki Enoto
Galactic Compact co-chair
Kyoto University
Aya Bamba
Galactic Diffuse chair
University of Tokyo
Aya Bamba
Galactic Diffuse chair
University of Tokyo
Paul Plucinsky
Galactic Diffuse co-chair
Harvard-Smithsonian CfA
Yoshihiro Ueda
Extra-Galactic Compact chair
Kyoto University
Erin Kara
Extra-Galactic Compact co-chair
MIT
Irina Zhuravleva
Extra-Galactic Diffuse chair
University of Chicago
Yutaka Fujita
Extra-Galactic Diffuse co-chair
Tokyo Metropolitan University

(As of June 2023)

Science Member

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