Hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray astronomy has
experienced a major
technological advance in the last three
years: the development and
laboratory demonstration of focusing
optics and high spatial and
spectral resolution detectors for energies
above 10 keV. In the next
decade, the dramatic improvements in
sensitivity and angular
resolution (over what is currently available
with background-limited
non-focusing hard X-ray instruments)
made possible by these
innovations will be realized on balloon
and satellite platforms. These
experiments will enable entire new classes
of hard X-ray observations, such
as the detailed study of large samples
of extragalactic objects, and
the mapping of non-thermal diffuse emission.
In this talk I will
describe the scientific observations
possible with these new telescopes,
and discuss the technological developments
that will make focusing
high-energy X-rays possible.