Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) launch

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is the X-ray polarimetric satellite originates from a collaboration among NASA, ASI, INAF and INFN, has been successfully launched on December the 9th 2021 from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. 
IXPE will exploits the polarization state of light from astrophysical sources to provide insight into our understanding of X-ray production in objects such as neutron stars and pulsar wind nebulae, as well as stellar and supermassive black holes. 

Niccolò Bucciantini leads the Topycal Working Group on Pulsar Wind Nebulae, within the IXPE collaboration.  Pulsar Wind Nebulae are one of the main targets of this mission with 6 objects selected among the most promising sources. Currently only the Crab Nebula and its Pulsar have been observed in polarized X-rays. IXPE will allow us to increase the number of sources that we can observe in polarized light, and for the first time it will give us resolved images of the same sources. Niccolò Bucciantini has taken part to the mission development phase and to the selection of the scientific targets.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGij0x0PA_Q
News: https://www.media.inaf.it/tag/ixpe/