Spectral RG

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spectral RG
Spectral RG
Type: Space observatory
Country: RussiaRussia Russia / GermanyGermanyGermany 
COSPAR-ID : 2019-040A
Mission dates
Dimensions: 2712.5 kg
Begin: July 13, 2019, 12:30:57 ( UTC )
Starting place: Baikonur Cosmodrome
Launcher: Proton-M / Blok-DM-03
Status: in orbit
Orbit data
Orbit: Halo orbit around the sun-earth L 2 point

Spectrum -RG (Russian for electromagnetic spectrum + X-ray + gamma radiation ; also called Spectrum-X-Gamma, SRG, SXG ) is a Russian-German space observatory and a research project in X-ray astronomy . It was launched on July 13, 2019 with a Proton-M rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and went into operation in October 2019.

Mission objectives

The aim of the Spektr-RG mission is a much more detailed mapping of X-ray sources than was possible with previous telescopes. The discovery of over 100,000 galaxy clusters and about three million supermassive black holes is expected . The data obtained should also enable new knowledge about the suspected dark energy and dark matter or the expansion of the universe .

Instruments

The main instrument of the mission is the eROSITA X-ray telescope , built by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) in Germany. Its task is an X-ray scan of the sky, which is taking place for the first time in a spectral band of up to 11  keV .

The second instrument on board is ART-XC, a Russian high-energy X-ray telescope in the 5–30 keV range. This instrument, and the spacecraft itself, were built under the direction of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI RAN).

The instruments were integrated into a “ Navigator ” satellite bus .

Instruments from the Spektr-RG observatory
eROSITA ART-XC
organization Max Planck Institute for
Extraterrestrial Physics 		IKI / WNIIEF
Telescope type Wolter Wolter
Dimensions 815 kg 350 kg
Sensitivity range 0.3-11 keV 5-30 keV
Field of view 0.81 ° 2 0.3 ° 2
Angular resolution 18th 45
Effective sensitive area / for energy 1 2400 cm 2 /1 keV 450 cm 2 /8 keV
Detector area 28.8 mm x 28.8 mm 30 mm × 30 mm
Power consumption 405 W 300 W
1 Information from the planning phase may be out of date

The power supply of Spektr-RG is provided by solar cells with a maximum output of 1.8 kilowatts . The data transmission to earth is to be via the SC Flight Control Center in Moscow and the ESA ground stations near the Guayana space center (15 m antenna ) and in Malindi (10 m antenna) at a transmission rate of up to 2  Mbit / s take place.

Mission history

After the start, the observatory flew within a good three months near the Lagrange point L 2 of the sun-earth system, about 1.5 million kilometers outside the earth's orbit . There it was stationed on October 21, 2019 in a Halo orbit with a six-month orbit and an orbit radius of a maximum of 400,000 km around the L 2 point. Calibration and tests follow .

After commissioning, a four-year main mission began with eight complete sky surveys with eROSITA. After that, ART-XC will investigate selected objects and regions for two and a half years.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Spektr-RG brochure from Roskosmos , 2019 (PDF, 18 MB; English)
  2. ↑ Live coverage: Proton rocket set for liftoff today with X-ray astronomy observator. In: Spaceflight Now. July 13, 2019, accessed July 13, 2019 .
  3. ↑ eROSITA enters full science operations . Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, October 15, 2019.
  4. ↑ a b c Spectrum-RG / SRG (Spectrum Roentgen Gamma) astrophysical observatory. In: eoPortal. ESA, accessed July 13, 2019 .
  5. ^ Spectrum-RG: Powerful X-ray telescope launches to map cosmos. In: BBC News. July 13, 2019, accessed July 13, 2019 .
  6. ↑ Navigator satellite bus . Anatoly Zak, Russian Space Web.
  7. ↑ Spectral RG observatory reached the L2 point . Roscosmos, October 21, 2019.