Athena (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) Assessment Study Report for ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025

Understand

Athena is an X-ray observatory-class mission concept, developed from April to December 2011 as a result of the reformulation exercise for L-class mission proposals in the framework of ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025.

• Athena's science case is that of the Universe of extremes, from Black Holes to Large-scale structure.
• The specific science goals are structured around three main pillars: "Black Holes and accretion physics", "Cosmic feedback" and "Large-scale structure of the Universe".
• Underpinning these pillars, the study of hot astrophysical plasmas offered by Athena broadens its scope to virtually all corners of Astronomy.