In case you missed it yesterday, Space-X launched NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite , from Cape Canaveral, FL, and TAI's Graphite Fiber Thermal Straps (GFTS®) were along for the ride!
The refrigerator-sized IXPE satellite is a $214 million dollar mission that investigates the physics behind black holes and neutron stars. IXPE is equipped with three telescopes that will study the polarization of light (i.e. how a light wave oscillates relative to the direction of the wave), and with that capability, astronomers will be able to refine the structure and study the mechanisms that power these types mysterious cosmic objects.
IXPE's technical and scientific objectives include:
Content Credit: NASA, FloridaToday.com