ESA Science & Technology - Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics Missions (SCI-FMA)

• Management of Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics missions in phase 0/A
• Definition of mission and system requirements for industrial studies
• Definition of the corresponding Technology Development Plans
• Development of related technologies required for future missions, in close co-operation with the Technology Preparation Section (SCI-FT)
• Conducting Technology Reference Studies in preparation for future calls for missions
• Interfacing to external entities/International Partners when relevant
• Definition and coordination of required support from ESA's Directorate of Technical and Quality Management (TEC) and ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) for the studies.

SCI-FMA is responsible for the assessment studies of numerous Cosmic Vision mission candidates, by providing the associated study managers. The studies presently being carried out are:

• ATHENA (L2): The Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics (selected as L2, a large-class mission), currently in Phase A, featuring an X-ray telescope with high resolution spectroscopy and wide-field spectrally-resolved imaging significantly exceeding the performance of existing X-ray observatories.
• Gravitational Wave Observatory (L3): A mission to detect and observe gravitational waves covering the frequency range from 0.1 mHz to 1 Hz.
• ARIEL (M4 candidate): The Atmospheric Remote-Sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-Survey, currently in Phase A. ARIEL includes a 1-m class Telescope with a Near Infrared Spectrometer for ExoPlanet atmosphere composition measurement.
• XIPE (M4 candidate): The X-ray Imaging and Polarimetry Explorer, currently in Phase A. XIPE is an X-ray telescope carrying three multi-shell Wolter I type mirrors and three polarimeters based on Gas Pixel Detector technology.

Past Studies

• IXO, International X-ray Observatory, formerly known as XEUS, an L1-class candidate in cooperation with JAXA and NASA, representing the potential follow-on mission to XMM-Newton.
• LOFT, The Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (medium-class candidate for the M3 slot).
• ECHO, The Exoplanet Characterization Observatory (medium-class candidate for the M3 slot).
• STE-QUEST, The Space-Time Explorer and QUantum Equivalence Principle Space Test (medium-class candidate for the M3 slot)
• Euclid, a dark Universe observatory (medium-class candidate, later selected as for the second medium class (M2) launch opportunity)
• PLATO, Planetary Transit and Oscillations of Stars (medium-class candidate, later selected for the third medium class (M3) launch opportunity).
• SPICA, Space IR Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics, a JAXA-led mission to which ESA would contribute within an M-class envelope.

Completed Technology Reference Studies (preparation for Cosmic Vision activities) performed by SCI-FMA:

• CMB Polarisation Mission (2016)
• New Generation Cryo-IR telescope (2014)
• Exoplanet Spectroscopy Mission (2010)
• Gamma Ray Lens (2007)
• Wide Field Imager (2006)
• Far IR Interferometer (2006)
• Cosmic Microwave Polarisation Mapper (2007)
• Fundamental Physics Explorer (2008)