The NEXT project aims to revolutionize the study of chemical bonding in f-elements materials by combining advanced X-ray spectroscopy and direct valence orbital imaging techniques. The CAT-ACT beamline (KIT, KARA accelerator) will be upgraded to include innovative techniques such as s-NIXS and high q-NIXS. A key improvement is a rotatable XES spectrometer, extending the momentum transfer range up to q = 10 Å⁻¹, allowing precise analysis of electronic transitions and bonding directions. These advancements will provide unprecedented insights into actinide and lanthanide chemistry, with implications for nuclear waste disposal science, materials research, and radiopharmaceuticals.