Constellation-X spectroscopy X-ray telescope (SXT)

We provide an overview of the Constellation-X SXT development program. We describe the performance requirements and goals, and the status of the technology development program. The SXT has a 1.6-meter diameter, a 10-meter focal length, and is to have an angular resolution exceeding 15 arc seconds. It has a modular design, incorporating lightweight, multiply nested, segmented Wolter Type I X-ray mirrors. All aspects of the design lend themselves to mass-production. The reflecting surfaces are produced by epoxy replication off precision mandrels onto glass substrates that have been accurately formed by thermal slumping. Coalignment of groups of reflectors to the required sub-micron accuracy is assisted by precision silicon microstructures. Optical alignment is performed using the Centroid Detector Assembly (CDA) originally developed for aligning the Chandra mirror. Recent efforts have concentrated on the production of an Engineering Unit, incorporating the components for the first time into a flight-like configuration. We summarize the status of the development of the processes for the key components and the initial metrology results of the Engineering Unit.