Mirror Technology Development for the International X-ray Observatory Mission

The International X-ray Observatory( IXO) is designed to conduct spectroscopic, imaging, and timing studies of astrophysical phenomena that take place as near as in the solar systemand as far as in the early universe. It is a collaborative effort of ESA, JAXA, and NASA. It requires a large X-ray mirror assembly with an unprecedented X-ray collection area and a suite of focal plane detectors that measure every property of each photon. This paper reports on our effort to develop the necessary technology to enable the construction of the mirror assembly required by IXO.