The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer is the next NASA Small Explorer developed in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, ASI). The mission, selected in 2017, is dedicated to imaging polarimetry in the 2-8 keV energy range and the payload comprises of three identical telescopes, each composed of a grazing-incidence Mirror Module and a Detector Unit. The latter, based on the Gas Pixel Detector photoelectric polarimeter, is the main Italian hardware contribution to the mission. The construction and testing of IXPE has ended and the satellite is currently waiting for delivery to the Kennedy Space Center. IXPE will be launched on December, 13th 2021 with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. In this poster I will briefly present the mission implementation and its scientific objectives.