With the endorsement of the NewAthena (New Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission by ESA's Science Programme Committee in November 2023, the preparations for this next generation X-ray observatory have shifted to a higher gear. Competitive system studies and technology preparation activities are being implemented, aiming to demonstrate readiness for the mission adoption early 2027 and the subsequent mission implementation. The Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) enables the NewAthena mission, delivering an unprecedented combination of good angular resolution, large effective area and low mass. The SPO technology builds significantly on spin-in from the semiconductor industry and is designed to allow a cost-effective flight optics implementation, compliant with the programmatic requirements of the mission. The NewAthena X-ray optics is highly modular, consisting of hundreds of compact mirror modules arranged in concentric circles and mounted on a metallic optical bench. All aspects of the optics are being developed in parallel, from the industrial production of the mirror plates, over the highly efficient assembly into mirror modules, to the alignment of the mirror modules and their fixation on the optical bench. Dedicated facilities are being built to measure the performance of the NewAthena X-ray telescope optics, demonstrating their compatibility with the environmental and scientific requirements. An overview is provided of the activities preparing the implementation of the NewATHENA optics.

The European Space Agency (ESA), cosine and its partners have been developing for 20 years the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) technology. SPO enables the next generation of space x-ray telescopes, with increased sensitivity and resolution. NewAthena, the New Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics, has just been endorsed by ESA as one of its L-class mission, to launch around 2037. NewAthena's optic is modular and consists of up to 600 mirror modules that form together a similar to 2.5 m diameter X-ray mirror with a focal length of 12 m and an angular resolution of 9 arc-seconds half-energy width. The total polished mirror surface is similar to 300 m(2), which will focus X-rays with an energy of about 0.3 - 10 keV onto two detectors, a wild-field imager (WFI) and an imaging spectrometer ( XIFU). Building hundreds of such SPO mirror modules in a cost-efficient and timely manner is a formidable task and subject of a dedicated ESA technology development program. We present in this paper the status of the optics production and illustrate not only recent X-ray results but also the progress made on the environmental testing, manufacturing and assembly aspects of SPO based optics.

The ALBA Synchrotron (Barcelona, Spain) has built MINERVA a new X-ray facility designed to support the development of the NewATHENA mission (Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics), whose objective is to observe and study energetic objects in space (accretion disk around black holes, large-scale structure, etc...). MINERVA is dedicated to assemble stacks manufactured by cosine into mirror modules (MM), building blocks of the NewATHENA optics. This new beamline is originally based on the X-ray parallel beam facility XPBF 2.0 at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB at BESSY II) but also includes additional features on the scanning scheme to improve the characterization time of each MM produced. Interoperability between MINERVA and XPBF 2.0 is nonetheless preserved to boost the mass production of the MMs and characterize their performance. MINERVA is now in operation and has been funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

The re-formulation phase of the next generation x-ray observatory ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) – now NewATHENA - is being utilized for further improvements of the optics technology. The Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) remains the technology of choice, since it uniquely combines a low mass, large effective area, and good angular resolution, addressing the challenge of the NewATHENA X-ray optics. The performance and preparation for the cost-effective implementation of the flight optics is being further evolved in a joint effort by industry, research institutions and ESA. The SPO technology greatly benefits from investments in the semiconductor industry and maximizes technology spin-in. Dedicated facilities have been and are being created to produce the required mirror plates, assemble them into stacks and mirror modules, integrate them into the complete telescope and measure the performance and compatibility with the NewATHENA technical and programmatic requirements. An overview of the activities preparing the implementation of the NewATHENA optics is provided.

MINERVA is an X-ray beamline designed to contribute to the development of the ATHENA 1,14 mission (Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics) at the ALBA synchrotron 2 (Barcelona, Spain).Originally based on the monochromatic pencil beam XPBF 2.0 at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB at BESSY II), MINERVA will be furnished with the necessary equipment to produce and characterize the mirror modules (MM) of ATHENA by adjusting and assembling 4 SPO stacks together (manufactured by cosine measurement systems) 4,5 .The construction of MINERVA is also an opportunity to bring some innovations in order to improve the characterization time of each MM produced 6 .Full interoperability with XPBF 2.0 is secured to allow operators to work on both beamlines the same way.

The ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission is the current 2nd 'Large' mission (L2) in the ESA Cosmic Vision programme currently.It is currently at Phase B1 but the mission concept will now enter a reformulation phase that will follow a design-to-cost approach.This paper describes the main technologies behind its reference X-ray telescope based on the modular Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) technology.The large X-ray mirror is the mission enabler being specifically developed for ATHENA, in a joint effort by industry, research institutions and ESA.All aspects of the optics are being addressed, from the mirror plates and their coatings to the mirror modules and their assembly into the ATHENA telescope, as well as the facilities required to build and test the flight optics, demonstrating performance, robustness, and programmatic compliance.An overview of the status of the design and demonstration of the telescope is given.The risks that have successfully been mitigated are made explicit and the remaining risks are identified.

The next generation x-ray observatory ATHENA (advanced telescope for high energy astrophysics) requires an optics with unprecedented performance. It is the combination of low mass, large effective area and good angular resolution that is the challenge of the x-ray optics of such a mission. ATHENA is the second large class mission in the science programme of ESA, and is currently in a reformulation process, following a design-to-cost approach to meet the cost limit of an ESA L-class mission. The silicon pore optics (SPO) is the mission enabler being specifically developed for ATHENA, in a joint effort by industry, research institutions and ESA. All aspects of the optics are being addressed, from the mirror plates and their coatings, over the mirror modules and their assembly into the ATHENA telescope, to the facilities required to build and test the flight optics, demonstrating performance, robustness, and programmatic compliance. The SPO technology is currently being matured to the level required for the adoption of the ATHENA mission, i.e., the start of the mission implementation phase. The monocrystalline silicon material and pore structure of the SPO provide these optics with excellent thermal and mechanical properties. Benefiting from technology spin-in from the semiconductor industry, the equipment, processes, and materials used to produce the SPO are highly sophisticated and optimised.

The ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mis s ion studies and techno logy preparation are continuing to progress. The optics for this future space ob servatory is based on the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), and is being evolved in a joint effort by industry, research institutions and ESA. The SPO technology uses the superb properties of monocrystalline Silicon, and spins in technologies developed for the semiconductor industry, benefiting from excellent materials, processes and equipment. In a holistic approach the technical and programmatic challenges of the ATHENA optics are being addressed simultaneously. A comprehensive Technology Development Plan (TDP) was defined and is being implemented to develop this novel X-ray optics technology. The performance, environmental compatibility and serial automated production and testing are being addressed in parallel, aiming at the demonstration of the required technology readiness for the Athena Mission Adoption Review (MAR) expected in 2022.

The ALBA synchrotron (Barcelona, Spain) is building MINERVA a new X-ray beamline designed to support the development of the ATHENA mission (Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics). The beamline design is originally based on the monochromatic pencil beam XPBF 2.0 at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), at BESSY II. MINERVA will provide metrology capabilities to integrate stacks produced by cosine company into a mirror module (MM) and characterize them. It will provide photons with a fixed energy of 1.0 keV with a residual divergence below 1 × 1 arcsec2 rms. The beam dimensions at the mirror module is adjustable from 10 × 10 μm2 up to 8 × 8 mm2. Interoperability between MINERVA and XPBF 2.0 will be preserved in order to reinforce and boost the production and characterization of the mirror modules. MINERVA is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Still in the detailed design phase, MINERVA will take 2 years to be completed for operation in 2022.

The Athena mission, under study and preparation by ESA as its second Large-class science mission, requires the largest X-ray optics ever flown, building on a novel optics technology based on mono crystalline silicon. Referred to as Silicon Pore Optics technology (SPO), the optics is highly modular and benefits from technology spin-in from the semiconductor industry. The telescope aperture of about 2.5 meters is populated by around 700 mirror modules, accurately co-aligned to produce a common focus. The development of the SPO technology is a joint effort by European industrial and research entities, working together to address the challenges to demonstrate the imaging performance, robustness and efficient series production of the Athena optics. A technology development plan was established and is being regularly updated to reflect the latest developments, and is fully funded by the ESA technology development programmes. An industrial consortium was formed to ensure coherence of the individual technology development activities. The SPO technology uses precision machined mirror plates produced using the latest generation top quality 12 inch silicon wafers, which are assembled into rugged stacks. The surfaces of the mirror plates and the integral support structure is such, that no glue is required to join the individual mirror plates. Once accurately aligned with respect to each other, the surfaces of the mirror plates merge in a physical bonding process. The resultant SPO mirror modules are therefore very accurate and stable and can sustain the harsh conditions encountered during launch and are able to tolerate the space environment expected during operations. The accommodation of the Athena telescope is also innovative, relying on a hexapod mechanism to align the optics to the selected detector instruments located in the focal plane. System studies are complemented by dedicated technology development activities to demonstrate the capabilities before the adoption of the Athena mission.

The ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission studies and technology preparation are continuing to progress. The optics for this future space observatory is based on the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), and is being evolved in a joint effort by industry, research institutions and ESA. The SPO technology uses the superb properties of monocrystalline Silicon, and spins in technologies developed for the semiconductor industry, benefiting from excellent materials, processes and equipment. In a holistic approach the technical and programmatic challenges of the ATHENA optics are being addressed simultaneously. A comprehensive Technology Development Plan (TDP) was defined and is being implemented to develop this novel X-ray optics technology. The performance, environmental compatibility and serial automated production and testing are being addressed in parallel, aiming at the demonstration of the required technology readiness for the Athena Mission Adopt ion Review (MAR) expected in 2022.