The next IPM (#2) will take place at CNES Toulouse on June 14-15th, 2017. It will review the progresses made on all sub-systems.

Thanks to Françoise Douchin, on behalf of the editorial team, I am pleased to announce the release of the N°3 15 Avril 2017 final (April 2017).

Enjoy the reading. Don't hesitate to provide feedback to Françoise (Francoise.Douchin@cnes.fr) on the content of the X-IFU Gazette.

Best regards,

Françoise and Didier

Agenda of the X-IFU Consortium meeting #5 is here.

Agenda of the X-IFU Consortium meeting #5 is here.

Talk given by D. Barret at the EXTP Conference in Roma (Feb 6-8th, 2017).

Thanks to Françoise Douchin, on behalf of the editorial team, I am please to announce the release of the January 2017 issue of the X-IFU Gazette.

Enjoy the reading. Don't hesitate to provide feedback to Françoise on the content of the X-IFU Gazette.

Best regards,

Françoise and Didier

Message to X-IFU Consortium members:

2016 is coming to an end and looking back a lot has been accomplished by the X-IFU Consortium on all fronts. Implementing the Mission Consolidation Review recommendations, we now have a baseline configuration for the instrument, which is close to the ESA mass allocation. Thanks to the Concurrent Design Facility run on the Focal Plane Module held in October-November, we also have a  baseline configuration for the plateform which will host the two instruments and their thermal control systems. 

At mission level, we are given an additional two months to define a baseline which fits within the Ariane 64 lift off capability. Areas to make this possible have been clearly identified. Optimization of the payload/spacecraft configurations will likely be needed, but with the goal to preserve the performance capabilities of the mission. The phase A will proceed for at least another year.

Progresses are also being made on many of the technologies that will enable the X-IFU, as demonstrated during the first progress meeting. 

On the programmatic side, the two instrument leads and the Athena lead funding agencies have agreed on a draft science management plan. Consolidation of the member state and international contributions will receive more and more attention as we proceed, and this is expected to be a major activity for us in the months to come. 

As we move to 2017 (more than 3 years after the adoption of the Hot and Energetic Universe scientific theme already !), we would like to take this opportunity to wish you, your family and your friends a merry Christmas and also a happy new year of health and happiness. 

Thanks and all the best,
Didier and Thien

An X-IFU Consortium Management Team meeting will take place at IRAP on Nov. 22-23rd, 2016. It will be followed by the first X-IFU progress meeting to be held at CNES under the leader of the project team.

The X-IFU Gazette issue #1 - October 2016 has been released. Enjoy the reading !