ESA : NewAthena X-ray Observatory: 2037

[AndrewM]

Looks like if this proceeds into 'adoption' in 2027 it would launch on an Ariane 64 according to the mission fact sheet.

Planned launch: 2037 on an Ariane 6.4

However, ESA said that this mission is at risk if the NASA FY26 budget cuts go forward.

During a press conference held on Thursday (June 12), ESA Director of Science Carole Mundell revealed that the space-based gravitational wave observatory LISA, the Venus orbiter EnVision, and the largest X-ray observatory ever planned, NewAthena, could be threatened if the proposed NASA budget cuts in Trump's FY26 budget go ahead.

ESA thinks that at this initial stage, the impact can be mitigated on the other 16 missions in collaboration with NASA, but the remaining three missions may require a rethink if they happen at all. "We're looking at three potential missions that, should the budget proposal come to pass as written, would require recovery actions. That's LISA, EnVision, the NewAthena," Mundell said.

http://space.com/space-exploration/european-space-agency-reveals-3-key-european-space-missions-threatened-by-trumps-nasa-budget-cuts [June 12]

[StraumliBlight]

ESA Linkedin [Nov 18]

The NewAthena mission is on track for adoption in early 2027, after which construction can begin. Meanwhile, the 1130 members of the NewAthena science community have started preparing the mission's science case.

The mission is planned to launch in 2037 on an Ariane 6.4.