Abstract

Athena (the Advanced Telescope for High-Energy Astrophysics) will continue the series of large X-ray observatories inaugurated by Chandra and XMM-Newton, offering transformational capabilities in several key areas. It is the second large-class ESA mission (L2), and it is planned for a launch towards the end of the next decade, around 2029. The Phase A is progressing at full speed, with intense work in the ESA Study Team, the Instrument Teams and industry with the definition of a mission design baseline over the next 12-18 months. The organization of the second conference on Athena will thus give the opportunity to discuss with the astrophysical community its prospective scientific impact, also in the light of possible future X-ray missions (eROSITA, XARM, Arcus …), of synergies with multi-wavelength facilities that will be operational at the end of the next decade, and of the advent of multi-messenger astronomy.