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This category is almost complete. Members of this set were classified by where they are looking, not where they happen to be. (Most are in LEO.) If I've skipped your favorite science mission, by all means email me robot@ultimax.com. The dearth of Soviet/Russian missions may be due to payloads and purposes of Interkosmos, Prognoz, and especially the generic Kosmos missions not being well documented. Any further information concerning the scientific objectives of the following Kosmos missions, which have been reported to be for astronomical research, would be appreciated: Kosmos-8, -208, -230, -251, -262, -264, -307, -461, -484, and -490.
Credit goes out to TRW Space Log 1957-1996, The Planetary Report published by The Planetary Society, Proton Mission Planner's Manual, and Jonathan's Space Report; to Chris Jones clj@world.std.com and Marc Rayman mrayman@jpl.nasa.gov. A tip o' the leaded visor to David Portree DSFPortree@aol.com for his sharp eyes.
High energy gamma ray counter. Results led to demise of steady-state cosmological theory. Tx stopped 06Dec1961. Still in orbit.
Measured luminosity of starry sky. Reentered 14Nov1965.
Huge (12.2 tonne) high energy physics laboratory (cosmic, X-, and gamma rays), heaviest Soviet payload up to that date. Decayed 11Oct1965.
Second in series of large high energy physics laboratories (cosmic, X-, and gamma rays). Decayed 06Feb1966.
Battery failed second day in orbit of first large multispectral observatory (IR, UV, gamma, X-ray). In orbit.
Third in series of large high energy physics laboratories (cosmic, X-, and gamma rays). Decayed 16Sep1966.
Primary payload was Zenit-class military spysat, secondary was Nauka 31KS high energy gamma ray expt payload. Reentered 02Apr1968.
Low frequency monitor of cosmic, solar and terrestrial radio waves. Discovered natural radio emission from Earth. In orbit.
Primary payload was Zenit-class spysat, secondary payload was high energy gamma ray and radioastronomy expts. Reentered 18Nov1968.
Even larger (17 tonne) high energy physics laboratory (cosmic, X-, and gamma rays), new Soviet orbital payload delivery record. Decayed 24Jul1969.
First large UV observatory, plus 10 other telescopes (IR, gamma, X-ray). In orbit. Observed 1970A? Nova Serpentis. Functional?
Primary payload was probably military navsat, secondary payload was high energy gamma ray experiment. Reentered 05Feb1969.
Large multispectral observatory. Shroud failed to separate, splashdown after launch.
First Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS). Comprehensive X-ray mapper. Reentered 05Apr1979.
DS (Dnepropetrovskoye Sputnik) -U2-MT micrometeorite and gamma ray counter. Dedicated mission launched from Plesetsk site. Reentered 21Feb1979.
Anglo-American radioastronomy satellite launched from Vandenberg AFB. Studied galactic radio noise @ lf and elf. Decayed 12Dec1978.
Launched from VAFB into polar LEO. 7 instruments investigated high energy (UV, X-ray, gamma) emissions. Tx ceased May1974. Decayed 09Jan1980.
Primary payload was Zenit-class spysat out of Plesetsk cosmodrome. Secondary payload was cosmic ray expt capsule. Primary reentered 18Apr1972, secondary reentered when?
Primary payload was Zenit-class spysat out of Plesetsk cosmodrome. Secondary payload was electron flux/cosmic ray expt capsule. Primary reentered 29May1972, secondary reentered when?
Stellar UV large observatory. Also 3 other telescopes and X-ray collimator. Studied planetary atmospheres and Cygnus X-1. In orbit. Functional?
Second Small Astronomy Satellite. Detected sources of gamma rays. Reentered 20Aug1980.
Low frequency monitor of cosmic and solar radio waves, in lunar orbit to minimize terrestrial interference.
Netherlands Astronomy Satellite. X-ray & UV observatory. Discovered X-ray bursters. Reentered 14Jun1977.
scientific mission? X-ray observatory? launched from Vandenberg. In polar orbit.
X-ray observatory launched from San Marco. Decayed 14Mar1980.
Third Small Astronomy Satellite. Detected sources of X-rays. Discovered closest quasar. Reentered 09Apr1979.
High energy (20+ MeV) gamma ray telescope launched from Vandenberg. In highly eccentric polar orbit.
X-ray observation? Failed to attain orbit.
French satellite launched from Kapustin Yar. Observed galactic & extragalactic X-rays & gamma rays. Decayed 20Jun1979.
High Energy Astronomy Observatory #1 for X-ray survey. Mapped 1500 sources. Decayed 15Mar1979.
International Ultraviolet Explorer for UV spectrometry. Discovered black hole at Galactic Core and gravitational lensing of quasars. Observed SN1987A. Turned off in 1995. Instruments:
Prime: 45-cm UV telescope
other:
High Energy Astronomy Observatory #2 revisited targets of HEAO 1 at higher resolution. First pix of X-ray bursters. Decayed 25Mar1982.
Soft X-ray observation. Decayed 15Apr1985.
Prime: ?
Studied X- and cosmic rays. Decayed 23Sep1990.
High Energy Astronomy Observatory #3 for measuring cosmic & gamma rays. Discovered matter-antimatter annihilation at Galactic Core. Decayed 07Dec1981.
InfraRed Astronomy Satellite. All-sky IR survey. First discovery of extrasolar planetary disks near Taurus-Auriga in 1992. In orbit.
Prime: IR spectrometer
X-ray observation of stars, galaxies, nebulae. Decayed 17Dec1988.
Astrophysics. In 25k × 179k × 80 ° HEO. Instruments:
Prime: 0.1-0.35 micron UV telescope
Secondary: SKR-02M 2-25 keV X-ray spectrometer/telescope
X-ray observatory studied numerous X-ray sources. Active for 1050 days. Decayed 06May1986.
Instrument package to detect Big Bang 8mm microwave signature piggybacked on earth science mission background. In extremely elliptical orbit (380 km × 720,000 km × 65.5 ° ).
X-ray and gamma ray observation. Decayed 01Nov1991.
High Precision Parallax Collecting Satellite measures five parameters of 100K stars and maps positions of 400K stars. Failed to reach GEO due to AKM (Ariane 44LP) upper stage malf, but has worked well anyway. In 542 km x 35889 km x 7 deg GTO. Instruments:
Prime: Schmidt telescope @ 2 milliarcsec
Secondary: Tycho star mapper @ 30 milliarcsec
All-sky infrared survey discovered important variations in background radiation field (Big Bang signature). Tx ceased 01May1997. In orbit.
Prime instrument: microwave spectrometer
X-ray & gamma ray observatory, reentered summer 1999?
Extreme UV to near IR observatory, deployed from Shuttle in LEO (STS-31). 1st of 4 Great Observatories. $2000M, 10.8 tonne. Primary optics repaired 4-10Dec1993 (STS-61), three major upgrades since, STS-82 in Dec1997 & STS-xx in Dec1999 & STS-109 in Feb2002. Instruments:
Radial position, optical imaging: Wide Field/Planetary Camera (115 nm exUV - 1 mm near IR, @ 0.1 arcsec, range = 14 billion ly, life = 1990-1993), WFPC-2 (1993-2004?), WFC-3 (2004?)
Axial -V2/+V3 position, low-res spectrography & IR imaging: Faint Object Spectrograph (1990-1997), NICMOS (1997-);
Axial -V3/-V2 position, spectrography: High Resolution Spectrograph (1990-1997), STIS (1997-); COS (planned 2004?)
Axial +V2/-V3 position, photometry: High Speed Photometer/Polarimeter (1990-1993), COSTAR corrective optics for FOC, GHRS, FOS (1993-2004?);
Axial +V3/+V2 postion, UV imaging: Faint Object Camera (life=1990-2002), ACS (2002?-);
Fine Guidance Sensor
All-sky X-ray and extreme UV (0.6 - 12 nm) survey. Launched by Space Shuttle. Camera accidentally burned out Sep1998. Instruments:
Prime: soft X-ray/extreme UV camera
Secondary: ?
Gamma ray observatory, reentered 28Feb1992.
Gamma ray observatory, deployed from Shuttle in LEO (STS-37). 2nd of 4 Great Observatories. $740M, 15 620 kg. Discovered gamma ray burst GRB 990123. Due to attitude gyro failure, was commanded to reenter over Pacific 04Jun2000.
Prime instrument: gamma ray telescope;
secondary: gamma ray spectrometer, 20-30 MeV
COMPTEL and 1 other instrument
Infrared Background Signature Survey, returned via Shuttle Discovery 06May1991.
Radioastronomy. In orbit.
Prime: ?
Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mapped ~1000 cosmic sources @ 7-70 nm. Retired 31Jan2001. In orbit. 7000-lb spacecraft reentered March 2002. For more info, see http://www.cea.berkeley.edu/.
Instruments:
four UV telescopes
one UV spectrometer
X-ray observation mission. Solar storm expanded atmosphere and tumbled spacecraft in July 2000. Reentered 02Mar2001. Instruments:
Prime: CCD imaging, hard x-ray telescope
Secondaries: foil-type X-ray telescopes.
Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors. Still working? Instruments:
Prime: widefield soft x-ray camera?
Orbiting and Retrievable Far & Extreme UV spectrometer, returned via Shuttle Discovery 22Sep1993.
Gamma ray burst experiment and other astronomical instruments. Functional?
InfraRed space Observatory. Images super cold (8 kelvins) galactic and extragalactic objects @ 800 nm - 0.2 mm. Mission ended in 1998 when supercoolant exhausted. In highly elliptical Earth orbit.
XTE monitors cosmic activity in X-ray region. Active, in low earth orbit.
Satellite per Astronomia a riaggi-X. Observes 0.1-200 keV X-rays. In orbit.
High-Energy Transient Experiment. Dual manifested w/ Argentine SAC-B. Failed to separate from 3rd stage. Replacement reflown 09Oct2000. Will reenter about 07Apr2002.
Far & extreme UV spectrometer, returned via Shuttle Columbia 07Dec1996.
In polar LEO. Instruments:
Prime: 30-cm extreme UV telescope @ 1 arcsec
Far UV Spectroscopic Explorer. Active, in HEO. Instruments:
Prime:
Launched from Shuttle STS-93. $1.6 billion, 5.2 tonnes. Renamed Chandra In HEO. Instruments:
Prime: 1.2 m aperture telescope @ 0.5 arcsec for 0.1-9 keV X-rays.
Other: Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS)
X-ray observatory. Wider aperture but less resolution than Chandra. In HEO. Instruments (4):
Prime: X-ray imaging telescope and two telescope/spectrometers;
Other: Co-ax 30 cm optical & UV finder scope
X-ray spectroscopy mission launched into wrong orbit, contact lost 10Feb2000. May have reentered same day. Instruments:
Prime: 0.060 kelvin X-ray spectrometer
four X-ray imaging spectrometers
one hard X-ray detector
Hard X-ray Spectrometer.
High-Energy Transient Explorer 2. Gamma ray burst detector/locator. Instruments:
gamma ray/very bright transient x-ray detector (CNES)
wide-field (10 arc-minute rez) x-ray monitor (RIKEN-Los Alamos)
optical/soft x-ray (10 arc-second rez) camera (MIT)
Submillimeter wave astronomy. Instruments:
500 GHz radiometer
119 GHz radiometer
Microwave Anisotropy Probe will provide full sky map of background cosmic microwaves. Second MIDEX-class mission. Instruments:
2x differential 1.5 m radiometers, f = 22-90GHz, temp. res. = 35 microK, spat. res. = 0.2°
Flew by Luna @ 5200 km on 1639 30Jul2001. At Sun-Earth L2 (darkside) point.
Cooperative Astrophysics and Technology satellite will study gamma ray bursts. To be launched with IceSat.
UV telescope to detect and observe galaxies billions of light years away.
Fourth "Great Observatory", the Space InfraRed Telescope Facility.
orbting gamma ray observatory by IKI. Unknown status.
INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory. 4 000 kg. 4 instruments:
Prime: gamma-ray imager and spectrometer
X-ray and visible-light camera to help ID gamma-ray sources
Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectometer will study Local Bubble out to 300 light-years.
MIDEX-class. Rapidly slewing set of telescopes to capture position to 1-4 arc minutes, brightness, and other properties of GRBs within 15 seconds of discovery.
Search for dark matter, missing matter & antimatter from aboard International Space Station.
Multispectral deep space observatory, European instruments on a Russian bus & launcher. US$300M. May be canceled if ESA does not provide remaining $20M.
MIDEX-class. Full-sky Astrometric Mapping Explorer will measure distance, motion, parallax and photometry of nearest 40 million stars (all stars this side of Milky Way) to within 0.05 milliarcseconds. Detect associated large planets.
Will measure light fluctuation of 6000 candidate stars (see discussion of extrasolar detection techniques below).
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna - first gravitational wave observatory. 3 spacecraft will fly in solar orbit in 5 million km triangular formation.
Gamma ray Large Area Space Telescope. 10-100 MeV spectrometer, 30X sensitivity of Compton.
Study radio galaxies and quasars with 10m radiotelescope.
orbiting UV observatory. Unknown status.
Proposed Discovery mission is a space telescope specifically designed to detect Earth-sized planets around stars in the Sun's neighborhood of the galaxy. By monitoring 100,000 stars over a four-year mission, Kepler could detect up to 500 Earth-sized planets and up to 1000 Jupiter-sized planets. NASA Ames Research Center $286 million.
Largest image space telescope will look for light from Big Bang. Instruments: Primary 3.5 m mirror. Will be launched to orbit Sun-Earth L2 point together with:
FIRST - ESA
Herschel (was Far InfraRed and Submillimeter Telescope). Instruments: Primary also 3.5 m supercooled aperture. One of six ESA "Cornerstone" missions. 369M euros for both.
Single Aperture Far InfraRed; 8-meter complement to NGST. Est. $300M.
Two spacecraft separated by 500 km, containing X-ray interferometers on 1.4 m baseline. Resolution ~ 1000X Hubble.
Next Generation Space Telescope. 8-meter mirror for visible & near IR. $2B. Will be stationed at Earth-Sun L2 (1.5M km from Earth). Instruments (3): visible & near IR camera; multi-object IR spectrograph, mid-IR camera-spectrograph.
2.8-meter aperture subscale model of NGST. Will be stationed at Earth-Sun L2 (1.5M km from Earth).
Two synthetic optical aperture Newtonian telescopes, prescursor to TPF designed to find extrasolar terrestrial-class worlds. Resolution = 50X FAME, or 1 microarcsecond (also = 800X Hubble). Delayed start from 2001 to 2005. Est. $930M
1-meter telescope to scan stars for planets. Backup mission for ESA in case NGST or LISA don't work out.
Fleet of four X-ray telescopes; follow-on to Chandra. Est. $300M.
NASA Origins mission. IR interferometer comprised of multiple 3- or 4-meter telescopes in formation, intended to find extrasolar planets with water, oxygen, ozone, methane, or other nonequilibrium biogenic gas signatures in their atmospheres as well as measure temperature within 50 light years. 100X Hubble resolution. Est. $300M
Same mission as TPF
Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics. Stellar census will measure brightest 1 billion sources in sky. 2700 kg mission launched on Ariane 5 to L2 (Lagrange 2 is on dark side of Earth) in high 1.5 million km Earth orbit.
MicroArcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission. Fleet of 32 spacecraft, distributed on 1 km centers, will assemble extremely high resolution images of stellar disks via interferometry and other techniques.
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