XRISM Telescope Works but Door Covering Spectrometer Resolve Is Jammed

XRISM (X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) is working as expected, but NASA and JAXA can't open the door designed to cover its main instrument as it is jammed.

XRISM Update

XRISM, a partnership between NASA, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the European Space Agency (ESA), was launched in September 2023. According to Hiroya Yamaguchi, Associate Research Scientist (Research Faculty) at the Department of Astronomy, The University of Maryland, XRISM has been performing well. Since the light initially appeared in January, it has already given scientists a wealth of data, some of which include unexpected discoveries.

There are so many surprises," Yamaguchi said before sharing two updates about the telescope.

The first news was positive -- Resolve, the telescope's primary instrument, a soft X-ray spectrometer, is operating as planned. However, the second update was slightly worse -- Resolve's aperture door has remained closed. The "gate valve" or door has been attempted to be opened several times but never succeeded.

According to rumors, NASA and JAXA have resolved to "operate the spacecraft as is for at least 18 months," but Yamaguchi clarified that it "has not been officially decided."

According to a NASA spokesperson, NASA and JAXA are still discussing how best to operate XRISM. The current plan is to gather data for the next 18 months before trying to open the gate valve again, but the agencies will keep considering other options.

When the door is closed, X-ray astronomers and mission scientists are presented with an intriguing "What If?" scenario. On the one hand, the spacecraft is performing flawlessly and demonstrating its ability to deliver a tonne of fresh, fascinating data. Attempting to open the door could harm the spaceship. However, unlocking the door might drastically alter our concept of the cosmos.

What Is XRISM?

The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), formerly known as XARM, is a JAXA/NASA collaborative mission with ESA participation.

The mission aims to investigate astronomical X-ray objects in the universe using high-throughput imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy. It was launched on Sept. 7, 2023, JST (Sept. 6, 2023, UT); XRISM was lifted off the Tanegashima Space Center at 8:42 a.m.

XRISM's mission will look into grand cosmic issues such as the formation of the universe's greatest structures, the behavior of matter under intense gravitational pull, and the operation of high-energy particle jets.

Spectroscopy measures light strength at various wavelengths, analogous to how human eyes perceive various color tints. In X-ray astronomy, researchers determine celestial objects' temperature, composition, and velocity by precisely measuring the wavelength (energy) of X-ray photons in the universe.

Resolve, the micro-calorimeter offers outstanding spectroscopic capabilities. Conversely, imaging captures an image of an object. A micro-calorimeter is a device that uses the fact that an X-ray impacts an element's temperature to increase to slightly detect the energies of the photons.

It was created by a joint team from the USA and Japan, and it is anticipated to be a new observation tool that will advance X-ray astronomy.

The micro-calorimeter can measure an X-ray photon's incoming energy; in other words, it can be used to measure wavelengths extremely precisely. This equipment makes accurate measurements of an observed X-ray object's temperature or composition feasible. Additionally, it helps determine the target source's motion by utilizing the "Doppler effect."

Check out more news and information on XRISM in Science Times.