XRISM

XRISM, the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, is a Japanese space-based X-ray observatory led by JAXA with international collaboration. Built to study the hot, energetic universe, XRISM combines high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy with wide-field imaging to measure chemical composition, temperatures, and motions in cosmic plasmas. It aims to restore and extend the legacy of Hitomi (Astro-H), a previous Japanese mission that suffered a premature loss shortly after launch.

The mission carries two primary instruments that share a common X-ray telescope assembly. Resolve is a soft X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer designed to deliver high spectral resolution, enabling precise measurements of emission lines from hot gas. Xtend is a wide-field imager that captures spatially resolved X-ray images of extended objects. Together, the instruments provide simultaneous imaging and spectroscopy over a broad portion of the X-ray band, roughly from 0.3 to 12 keV, enabling detailed studies of the physical conditions in astronomical sources.

XRISM operates from a low Earth orbit and is designed to observe a variety of targets, including clusters of galaxies, supernova remnants, star-forming regions, and active galactic nuclei. Its scientific goals include measuring turbulence and bulk motions in hot plasma, determining chemical abundances, and tracing energy transfer processes in cosmic environments. The mission represents a key step in characterizing the dynamics of hot baryons and the evolution of large-scale structures in the universe.

As of its early operations, XRISM has been delivering high-quality spectroscopic and imaging data, contributing to the ongoing exploration of high-energy astrophysical phenomena and laying groundwork for future X-ray missions.