ART

The Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA, formerly named ASTRO-D) was the fourth cosmic X-ray astronomy mission by JAXA, and the second for which the United States provided part of the scientific payload. The satellite was successfully launched on 20 February 1993. The first eight months of the ASCA mission were devoted to performance verification. Having established the quality of performance of all ASCA's instruments, the spacecraft provided science observations for the remainder of the mission. In this phase the observing program was open to astronomers based at Japanese and U.S. institutions, as well as those located in member states of the European Space Agency.[3][4]

X-ray astronomy mission

ASCA was the first X-ray astronomy mission to combine imaging capability with a broad pass band, good spectral resolution, and a large effective area. The mission also was the first satellite to use CCDs for X-ray astronomy. With these properties, the primary scientific purpose of ASCA is the X-ray spectroscopy of astrophysical plasmas, especially the analysis of discrete features such as emission lines and absorption edges.

ASCA carried four large-area X-ray telescopes. At the focus of two of the telescopes is a gas imaging spectrometer (GIS), while a solid-state imaging spectrometer (SIS) is at the focus of the other two.[3][4] The GIS is a gas-imaging scintillation proportional counter and is based on the GSPC that flew on the second Japanese X-ray astronomy mission TENMA. The two identical charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras were provided for the two SISs by a hardware team from MIT, Osaka University and ISAS.
Significant contributions

The ASCA was launched by ISAS (Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences), Japan.

The sensitivity of ASCA's instruments allowed for the first detailed, broad-band spectra of distant quasars to be derived. In addition, ASCA's suite of instruments provided the best opportunity at the time for identifying the sources whose combined emission makes up the cosmic X-ray background.[3][5]

It performed over 3000 observations, and produced over 1000 publications in refereed journals so far. The ASCA archive contains significant amounts of data for future analyses. Furthermore, the mission is termed highly successful when reflecting on what scientists in many counties have accomplished using ASCA data up to this time.

The U.S. contributed significantly to ASCA's scientific payloads. In return, 40% of ASCA observing time was made available to U.S. scientists. (ISAS also opened up 10% of the time to ESA scientists as a good-will gesture.) In addition, all ASCA data enter the public domain after a suitable period (1 year for U.S. data, 18 months for Japanese data) and become available to scientists worldwide. The design of ASCA was optimized for X-ray spectroscopy; thus it complemented ROSAT (optimized for X-ray imaging) and RXTE (optimized for timing studies). Finally, ASCA results cover almost the entire range of objects, from nearby stars to the most distant objects in the universe.[6]
Mission end

The mission operated successfully for over 7 years until attitude control was lost on 14 July 2000 during a geomagnetic storm, after which no scientific observations were performed. ASCA reentered the atmosphere on 2 March 2001 after more than 8 years in orbit.

The primary responsibility of the U.S. ASCA GOF was to enable U.S. astronomers to make the best use of the ASCA mission, in close collaboration with the Japanese ASCA team.[7]
References

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"Solid-state Imaging Spectrometers". 25 June 2001. Retrieved 26 November 2016. "Energy Range: 0.4 keV to 10 keV keV"
"Gas Imaging Spectrometers". 1 April 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2016. "Energy Range : 0.7 keV to 10 keV"
"ASCA". NASA Science Missions. NASA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011.
Tanaka, Yasuo; Inoue, Hajime; Holt, Stephen S. (June 1994). "The X-ray astronomy satellite ASCA". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 46 (3): L37–L41. Bibcode:1994PASJ...46L..37T.
Tsusaka, Yoshiyuki; Suzuki, Hisanori; Yamashita, Koujun; Kunieda, Hideyo; Tawara, Yuzuru; et al. (August 1995). "Characterization of the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics X-ray telescope: Preflight calibration and ray tracing". Applied Optics. 34 (22): 4848–4856. Bibcode:1995ApOpt..34.4848T. doi:10.1364/AO.34.004848. PMID 21052325.
"ASCA's Significant Contributions to Astrophysics". ASCA Guest Observer Facility. NASA. Retrieved 18 November 2016.

"The ASCA Mission: (1993-2000)". NASA. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011.

External links

ASCA website by JAXA
ASCA website by NASA

vte

Space observatories
Operating

ACE (since 1997) AGILE (since 2007) AMS-02 (since 2011) Aoi (since 2018) Astrosat (since 2015) BRITE constellation (since 2013) CALET (since 2015) Chandra (AXAF) (since 1999) CHEOPS (since 2019) DAMPE (since 2015) DSCOVR (since 2015) Fermi (since 2008) Gaia (since 2013) GECAM (since 2020) HXMT (Insight) (since 2017) Hinode (Solar-B) (since 2006) HiRISE (since 2005) Hisaki (SPRINT-A) (since 2013) Hubble (since 1990) INTEGRAL (since 2002) IBEX (since 2008) IRIS (since 2013) ISS-CREAM (since 2017) Max Valier Sat (since 2017) MAXI (since 2009) Mikhailo Lomonosov (since 2016) Mini-EUSO (since 2019) NCLE (since 2018) NEOSSat (since 2013) NICER (since 2017) NuSTAR (since 2012) Odin (since 2001) SDO (since 2010) SOHO (since 1995) SOLAR (since 2008) Solar Orbiter (since 2020) Spektr-RG (since 2019) STEREO (since 2006) Swift (since 2004) TESS (since 2018) Wind (since 1994) WISE (since 2009) XMM-Newton (since 1999)

Planned

iWF-MAXI (2021) Astro-1 Telescope (2021) Nano-JASMINE (2021) ORBIS (2021) ILO-X (2021) IXPE (2021) James Webb Space Telescope (2021) XPoSat (2021) Euclid (2022) Space Solar Telescope (2022) SVOM (2022) XRISM (2022) K-EUSO (2023) Solar-C (2023) LORD (2024) JASMINE (2024) SPHEREx (2024) Xuntian (2024) Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission (2025+) Spektr-UV (2025) Roman Space Telescope (2025+) PLATO (2026) LiteBIRD (2027) ARIEL (2028) Spektr-M (2030+) ATHENA (2031) LISA (2034)

Proposed

Arcus AstroSat-2 EXCEDE Fresnel Imager FOCAL HabEx Hayabusa2 Hibari Hypertelescope ILO-1 JEM-EUSO LUCI LUVOIR Lynx Nautilus Deep Space Observatory New Worlds Mission NRO donation to NASA OST PhoENiX Solar-D SPICA THEIA THESEUS

Retired

Akari (Astro-F) (2006–2011) ALEXIS (1993–2005) Alouette 1 (1962–1972) Ariel 1 (1962, 1964) Ariel 2 (1964) Ariel 3 (1967–1969) Ariel 4 (1971–1972) Ariel 5 (1974–1980) Ariel 6 (1979–1982) ASTERIA (2017–2019) ATM (1973–1974) ASCA (Astro-D) (1993–2000) Astro-1 (1990)
BBXRT HUT Astro-2 (HUT) (1995) Astron (1983–1989) ANS (1974–1976) BeppoSAX (1996–2003) CHIPSat (2003–2008) Compton (CGRO) (1991–2000) CoRoT (2006–2013) Cos-B (1975–1982) COBE (1989–1993) DXS (1993) EPOCh (2008) EPOXI (2010) Explorer 11 (1961) EXOSAT (1983–1986) EUVE (1992–2001) FUSE (1999–2007) Kvant-1 (1987–2001) GALEX (2003–2013) Gamma (1990–1992) Ginga (Astro-C) (1987–1991) Granat (1989–1998) Hakucho (CORSA-b) (1979–1985) HALCA (MUSES-B) (1997–2005) HEAO-1 (1977–1979) Herschel (2009–2013) Hinotori (Astro-A) (1981–1991) HEAO-2 (Einstein Obs.) (1978–1982) HEAO-3 (1979–1981) HETE-2 (2000–2008) Hipparcos (1989–1993) IUE (1978–1996) IRAS (1983) IRTS (1995–1996) ISO (1996–1998) IXAE (1996–2004) Kepler (2009–2018) Kristall (1990–2001) LEGRI (1997–2002) LISA Pathfinder (2015–2017) MOST (2003–2019) MSX (1996–1997) OAO-2 (1968–1973) OAO-3 (Copernicus) (1972–1981) Orbiting Solar Observatory
OSO 1 OSO B OSO 3 OSO 4 OSO 5 OSO 6 OSO 7 OSO 8 Orion 1 (1971) Orion 2 (1973) PAMELA (2006–2016) PicSat (2018) Planck (2009–2013) RELIKT-1 (1983–1984) R/HESSI (2002–2018) ROSAT (1990–1999) RXTE (1995–2012) SAMPEX (1992–2004) SAS-B (1972–1973) SAS-C (1975–1979) Solwind (1979–1985) Spektr-R (2011–2019) Spitzer (2003–2020) Suzaku (Astro-EII) (2005–2015) Taiyo (SRATS) (1975–1980) Tenma (Astro-B) (1983–1985) Uhuru (1970–1973) Vanguard 3 (1959) WMAP (2001–2010) Yokoh (Solar-A) (1991–2001)

Hibernating
(Mission completed)

SWAS (1998–2005) TRACE (1998–2010)

Lost

OAO-1 (1966) OAO-B (1970) CORSA (1976) OSO C (1965) ABRIXAS (1999) HETE-1 (1996) WIRE (1999) Astro-E (2000) Tsubame (2014–2015) Hitomi (Astro-H) (2016)

Cancelled

AOSO Astro-G Constellation-X Darwin Destiny EChO Eddington FAME FINESSE GEMS HOP IXO JDEM LOFT OSO J OSO K Sentinel SIM & SIMlite SNAP SPOrt TAUVEX TPF XEUS XIPE

See also

Great Observatories program List of space telescopes List of proposed space observatories List of X-ray space telescopes

Category Category:Space telescopes

vte

Japanese space program

JAXA
former ISAS NAL NASDA NICT JSS

Astronomical
observation
Completed

Akari ASCA Ginga Hakucho HALCA Hinotori Suzaku Tenma Yohkoh

In operation

Hinode Hisaki

Failed

Hitomi

Planned

ATHENA2 EUVST HiZ-GUNDAM LiteBIRD Nano-JASMINE Small-JASMINE SPICA2 Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope1 WSO-UV5 XRISM1

Canceled

Astro-G

Communications,
broadcasting and
positioning
Completed

BS
2X 3H 3N Kakehashi Kirari Kizuna Kodama MBSat N-STAR
a b Sakura (1 2a 2b 3a 3b) Yuri
1 2a 2b 3a 3b

In operation

Kirameki
1 2 Michibiki
1 2 3 4 MTSAT N-STAR
c d JDRS

Planned

DSN
3 QZS
1R 5 6 7

Earth observation
Completed

Akebono Daichi Denpa Fuyo-1 Jikiken Kyokko Midori
I II Momo
1 1b Ohozora Taiyo TRMM1 Ume
1 b

In operation

Aqua17 Arase ASNARO
1 2 Daichi-2 GEOTAIL1 GPM1 Himawari Ibuki
2 Shikisai Shizuku

Planned

ALOS
3 4 EarthCARE2 GOSAT-GW

Engineering tests
Completed

Ayame
1 2 DASH EXPRESS IKAROS Jindai Kiku
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LDREX
1 2 LRE Micro LabSat-1 Myojo Ohsumi Orizuru RAPIS-1 Ryusei SERVIS-1 SERVIS-2 SDS-1 Shinsei SFU Tansei
1 2 3 4 Tasuki Tsubame Tsubasa USERS

In operation

Ajisai Reimei SDS-4

Planned

BEAK ETS-IX G-SATELLITE SERVIS-3 Small Demonstration Satellite
2 3

Canceled

PETSAT SmartSat-1

Human spaceflight
Completed

H-II Transfer Vehicle
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

In operation

International Space Station (ISS) & Kibo123456

Planned

H-II Transfer Vehicle
X1 Lunar Gateway1245

Cancelled

Fuji crewed spacecraft HOPE-X

Lunar and
planetary exploration
Completed

Hayabusa Hiten Kaguya (SELENE) Sakigake Suisei

In operation

Akatsuki BepiColombo (MMO/Mio)2 Hayabusa2

Failed

Nozomi PROCYON Shin'en

Planned

Comet Interceptor2 DESTINY+ EQUULEUS HERACLES24 JUICE2 MELOS MMX OMOTENASHI SLIM TEREX

Cancelled

Lunar-A SELENE-2

Proposed

OKEANOS

Private
miniaturized satellites
Completed

CosMoz CUTE
1.7+APD Fuji
1 2 Hayato HIT-SAT Kagayaki Kanta-kun (WEOS) Kūkai Maido-1 Negai☆″ Niwaka RAIKO Waseda-SAT2 WE WISH

In operation

CUTE
1 1.7+APDII Fuji-3 Hitomi Horyu
2 Kiseki PROITERES Raijin RISING-2 SEEDS SOCRATES XI
IV V

Planned

DRUMS OPUSAT-II QSAT-EOS RSP-01 SOMESAT SPROUT TSUBAME WNI satellite

Reconnaissance
Completed

IGS-Optical
1 2 Experimentally 3 IGS-Radar
1 2

In operation

IGS-Optical
3 4 5 6 Experimentally 5 IGS-Radar
3 4 Spare 5 6

Planned

IGS-Optical
7 8 IGS-Radar
7 8

Astronomy Encyclopedia

Physics Encyclopedia

World

Index

Hellenica World - Scientific Library

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License