Lynx is one of four large mission concepts being developed by NASA for consideration by the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Lynx will observe in the traditional X-ray band (approximately 0.1 to 10 keV) with a sub-arcsecond grazing-incidence telescope of effective area exceeding a square meter.
Such a mission concept was identified in the 2013 NASA Astrophysics Roadmap “Enduring Quests, Daring Visions” and, since early 2016, has been developed by a community-selected Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT). The STDT convened several working groups to refine science objectives and to develop credible plans for maturing technologies needed to axhieve these science objectives. The Lynx Optics Working Group (OWG)---comprising more than 30 technologists from academia, research institutions, and industry---has been assessing current research and development efforts to identify key challenges to be overcome for Lynx to be successful. Here we discuss the OWG organization, its goals, and the current status of its work in support of the Lynx STDT.
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