IXPE
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer is a NASA and Italian Space Agency observatory built to measure X-ray polarization from black holes, neutron stars, supernova remnants, and other energetic sources. Falcon 9 placed IXPE into its near-equatorial low Earth orbit, where the spacecraft deployed its arrays and began returning telemetry.
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Identity
- Aliases
- IXPEImaging X-ray Polarimetry ExplorerFalcon 9 F132Falcon 9 Flight 132
- Name
- IXPE
- Status
- active
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer is a NASA and Italian Space Agency observatory built to measure X-ray polarization from black holes, neutron stars, supernova remnants, and other energetic sources. Falcon 9 placed IXPE into its near-equatorial low Earth orbit, where the spacecraft deployed its arrays and began returning telemetry.
- Destination
- 600-km circular near-equatorial Earth orbit (approximately 0° inclination) for measuring the polarization of cosmic X-rays from black holes, pulsars, and other extreme sources
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- Successfully deployed IXPE into an approximately 600-kilometer equatorial orbit for X-ray polarimetry science
- Programs
- Start Date
- 2021-12-09
- Vehicle Families
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/ixpe/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 19, 2026 at 16:02:55 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 22, 2026 at 13:39:46 UTC
- Image
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Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles