In order to do this, NASA specialists have begun preparing a new mission, the purpose of which will be to study supermassive black holes, neutron stars and pulsars.
What happens next to them cannot be easily taken and photographed, therefore, by examining the polarization of X-rays emitted from the surrounding space, researchers can get a more detailed understanding of the physical properties of these objects. To do this, NASA will send three highly specialized telescopes into space, equipped with cameras capable of capturing and measuring the polarization of cosmic X-rays.
Astronomers hope that the mission will help specialists find answers to their questions and learn more about the gravitational, electric and magnetic fields that surround these space objects. Ball Aerospace & Technologies will prepare the spacecraft for the mission, and the telescope equipment will be developed and provided by the Italian Space Agency. The mission leader is Martin Weisskopf, head of the George Marshall Space Flight Center. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission kicks off as early as 2020. The launch of the vehicles along with the launch vehicle is estimated at about $ 188 million.
VYACHESLAV LARIONOV