Enrico Costa completed his PhD studies in Physics in 1975 at the University of Rome. CNR researcher, then INAF, up to the position of Research Director. He participated in numerous Astronomy X experiments on rockets and balloons. He was one of the proponents of the BeppoSAX Satellite, and he participated in the discovery of the Gamma Burst afterglows that revealed its extragalactic location (for which the Rossi, Descartes, Fermi, and Shaw prizes were awarded). He participated in JEM-X on INTEGRAL, and he is responsible for SuperAGILE, the X monitor of AGILE. Since 1986, he has been involved in X polarimetry also in collaboration with Columbia University both as R&D and for missions. He led the Italian participation in the Stellar X-Ray Polarimeter for the Soviet Spectrum X-Gamma satellite, with the contribution of detectors, HVs, and electronics.  He participated in the development of photoelectric polarimetry with the INFN of Pisa. Eventually, the IXPE, the first mission based on this concept, was launched in 2021. After his retirement, he worked as associate scientist for IAPS-INAF, and he contributes to the IXPE as Senior Co-Investigator.