Siltronic wafers power cosine’s optics in ESA’s NewAthena mission to explore the high-energy universe

Siltronic wafers power cosine’s optics in ESA’s NewAthena mission to explore the high-energy universe

(IN BRIEF) cosine and Siltronic AG have entered into a strategic partnership to provide critical technology for ESA’s NewAthena X-ray space telescope. Siltronic will deliver 300 mm high-purity silicon wafers, which cosine will engineer into Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), forming the core of NewAthena’s innovative mirror system. The telescope, part of ESA’s Cosmic Vision program, will be the largest X-ray observatory ever built, designed to study black holes, galaxy clusters, and other high-energy cosmic phenomena. With Siltronic’s precision wafer technology and cosine’s pioneering SPO optics, the collaboration will enable unprecedented imaging performance for one of Europe’s most ambitious space science missions.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH/ SASSENHEIM, 3-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Siltronic AG, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-purity silicon wafers, has joined forces with cosine, a pioneer in space instrumentation, to supply critical components for ESA’s upcoming NewAthena (New Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission. The collaboration combines Siltronic’s advanced semiconductor expertise with cosine’s innovative optical engineering to create the core X-ray optics of what will be the largest X-ray observatory ever built.

At the center of the project are Siltronic’s 300 mm silicon wafers, renowned for their exceptional purity and uniformity. cosine transforms these wafers into Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), a breakthrough technology that forms the foundation of NewAthena’s mirror system. This system will enable the telescope to capture high-resolution data on cosmic phenomena such as black holes, neutron stars, and galaxy clusters.

Dr. Rüdiger Schmolke, Chief Technology Officer at Siltronic AG, expressed pride in the company’s contribution: “We are very pleased that our wafer technology is playing a decisive role in enabling NewAthena’s groundbreaking optics. It demonstrates how semiconductor expertise can directly support European space science.”

Max Collon, Managing Director of cosine innovations, added: “Siltronic’s unmatched precision allows us to manufacture lightweight, high-performance X-ray optics capable of meeting the mission’s demanding requirements. This collaboration ensures that NewAthena will achieve its ambitious scientific goals.”

Part of ESA’s Cosmic Vision program, NewAthena is designed to explore the hot and energetic universe, providing insights into some of its most extreme environments. The partnership between Siltronic and cosine represents a unique blend of semiconductor manufacturing and astrophysical instrumentation, highlighting Europe’s leadership in pushing technological frontiers for scientific discovery.

Contact Siltronic AG

Stephanie Malgara
Senior Manager Investor Relations
Tel: +49 (0)89 8564 3133
Email: investor.relations@siltronic.com

Contact cosine

Dr. Boris Landgraf
Senior Scientist & Business Developer
Warmonderweg 14
2171 AH Sassenheim
Tel.: +31 (0)71 528 4962
Email: b.landgraf@cosine.nl

Company profile Siltronic AG

As one of the leading wafer manufacturers, Siltronic is globally oriented and operates production sites in Asia, Europe, and the USA. Silicon wafers are the foundation of the modern semiconductor industry and the basis for chips in all electronic applications – from computers and smartphones to electric cars and wind turbines. The international company is highly customer-oriented and focuses on quality, precision, innovation, and growth. Siltronic AG employs around 4,400 people worldwide and has been listed in the Prime Standard of the German Stock Exchange since 2015. Siltronic AG shares are included in both the SDAX and TecDAX stock market indices.

Company profile cosine

cosine is a leading worldwide company in the development of space instrumentation, such as Silicon Pore Optics for astronomy and remote sensing solutions with onboard analytics for Earth Observation and planetary science. cosine combines physics and technology to bring out-of-the-box solutions to its clients. cosine has been developing and delivering innovative measurement systems for space and industrial applications since 1998. The company operates more than 1,000 m2 of cleanrooms and high-tech assembly facilities to build and test the systems we produce for customers at our headquarters in Sassenheim, The Netherlands and at subsidiaries in Berlin, Germany and Benevento, Italy.

SOURCE: Siltronic AG