NewAthena X-IFU
Unveiling the secrets of the hot and energetic Universe
The X-IFU is a revolutionary X-ray spectrometer, one of the two instruments of the European Space Agency’s future space telescope, NewAthena. It will observe with X-ray eyes, the hot and energetic Universe, a world of clusters of galaxies, black holes, and exploding stars.
Find out about this revolutionary instrument of ESA’s NewAthena mission
Latest news
Technical status of X-IFU prior to mission adoption
The SPIE meeting 2026 was the opportunity to present X-IFU as it stands today, as we move towards the start of the mission adoption process, to be concluded in June 2027. The overview presentation given by Philippe Peille (CNES, Instrument manager) showed the status of X-IFU, and presented all the demonstration activities that are on-going. […]
Understanding TES Performance in Modified Bias Circuits for X-IFU Multiplexed Readout
A recent paper by Smith et al., “Transition-edge sensor characteristics in a modified bias circuit for multiplexed readout,”has been accepted for publication in the IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity. The work addresses an important aspect of X-IFU detector readout: the impact of incorporating a bypass resistor into the bias circuit used for time-division multiplexing (TDM). […]
X-IFU aboard NewAthena
X-IFU is one of the two scientific instruments of ESA’s future X-ray observatory.
One instrument,
an international collaboration
X-IFU brings together laboratories and space agencies across Europe and beyond.
≈ 300
engineers and researchers
12
countries represented
11
ESA member states, plus the United States
People of X-IFU
Jiri Svoboda
Astronomer at the Astronomic Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences
“By improving spectral and angular resolutions, with such a large effective area, NewAthena X-IFU will represent a major step for X-ray astronomy.”
Aurora Simionescu
Co-PI & Research Scientist at SRON, Netherlands
“Every major leap in our observing capabilities in the past has led to unexpected discoveries, and I hope nature will not fail to surprise us also this time around.”
Teresa Mineo
Physicist at INAF, Italy
“Once NewAthena X-IFU will be launched, observation of the sky will be taken to a whole new level. The instrument should be able to reveal the origin of the Universe!”
Pourya Khosropanah
Co-I & XIFU/NL Project Manager, Instrument Science Group, SRON
“X-IFU delivers ultra-clear X-ray vision and detailed spectra in every pixel, revealing how galaxies, clusters, and black holes evolve. Powered by cryogenic detectors and Athena’s large telescope, it’s made possible by a tightly integrated, global collaboration driving the future of X-ray astronomy.”
Maria Teresa Ceballos
Co-I & CSIC Researcher, Astrophysicist, Instituto de Física de Cantabria (IFCA)
“X-IFU will let us listen to the heartbeat of the hot Universe and will turn the high-energy Universe into a resolved, interpretable landscape—revealing what was once invisible.”
Marco Barbera
Co-I & Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Università degli Studi di Palermo, INAF, Italy
“It’s been more than 10 years since Athena was approved, gray hairs, but still the same enthusiasm in promoting the performance of X-IFU to deliver great science.”
Yann Parot
Co-I X-IFU instrument, DRE system engineer, IRAP, Toulouse
“The fun fact about the Hot Universe is that we need very cold instruments to observe it. But when it comes to building them, the fun starts to get a little tricky.”
J. Miguel Mas Hesse
Co-I & Astrophysicist at Spanish Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA)
“New Athena and its X-IFU will allow us to dream of new discoveries on the extreme Universe. Its unprecedented energy resolution and sensitivity will reveal the finest details of the most interesting regions in our Galaxy and on AGNs. It has been already a long time since the beginnings with Xeus, but now it’s becoming a reality.”
Sylvain Martin
Co-I X-IFU instrument, Sub-Kelvin cooler provider, CEA-DSBT, Grenoble
“Thanks to X-IFU the understanding of the evolution of black holes and galaxies will get to another level. As a cryogenic guy, being the coldest point of the Universe once it is launched is quite exciting.”
Damien Prêle
Co-I X-IFU instrument & WFEE Project Leader at APC CNRS, Université Paris Cité
“Since the beginning of Athena X-IFU, developing the WFEE is an exciting challenge at the intersection of cryogenic instrumentation, low-noise electronics, and astrophysics. These technologies will help reveal a new view of the hot and energetic Universe.”
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