NASA’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Celebrates 1 Year of Exploring the Cosmos

NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) lit up the early morning sky one year ago as it started its journey into space. The satellite was launched on December 9, 2021, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

IXPE is the first satellite dedicated to measuring the polarization of X-rays from a variety of cosmic sources, such as black holes and neutron stars. Polarization is a property of light that gives scientists important information about cosmic objects. Before IXPE, X-ray polarization was rarely measured in space. In just one year, IXPE has conducted measurements no telescope has ever been able to make before.

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches with NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft onboard from Launch Complex 39A, Thursday, December 9, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The IXPE spacecraft is the first satellite dedicated to measuring the polarization of X-rays from a variety of cosmic sources, such as black holes and neutron stars. Launch occurred at 1 a.m. EST. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Here’s a look at some of IXPE’s accomplishments in its first year of operation:

For IXPE, things are just getting started. Its baseline mission duration is two years, so with at least one more year of exploration to go, the satellite is poised to make more exciting discoveries about the intricacies of X-ray polarization. Happy first anniversary, IXPE!