Soyuz launches Gaia astronomy satellite
Posted: Thu, Dec 19, 2013, 8:14 AM ET (1314 GMT)
A Soyuz rocket successfully launched a European satellite that will accurately measure the positions and properties of one billion stars. The Soyuz rocket lifted off on schedule at 4:12 am EST (0912 GMT) from the European spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, and the Fregat upper stage released the Gaia satellite 42 minutes later. The spacecraft will spend the next three weeks traveling to the Earth-Sun L2 point, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, where the spacecraft will operate. The Astrium-built spacecraft will observe an estimated one billion stars during its five-year mission, measuring the positions and distances as well as physical properties. Gaia is billed as the sucecssor to ESA's Hipparcos mission, which compiled the most accurate catalog of stellar positions ever two decades ago.
A Soyuz rocket successfully launched a European satellite that will accurately measure the positions and properties of one billion stars. The Soyuz rocket lifted off on schedule at 4:12 am EST (0912 GMT) from the European spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, and the Fregat upper stage released the Gaia satellite 42 minutes later. The spacecraft will spend the next three weeks traveling to the Earth-Sun L2 point, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, where the spacecraft will operate. The Astrium-built spacecraft will observe an estimated one billion stars during its five-year mission, measuring the positions and distances as well as physical properties. Gaia is billed as the sucecssor to ESA's Hipparcos mission, which compiled the most accurate catalog of stellar positions ever two decades ago.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, July 26
Arianespace to launch weather satellite MTG-I2 on Ariane 6's first mission to geostationary orbit on August 27, 2026
Arianespace — 8:26 am ET (1226 GMT) How stars die: Astronomers detect magnetic fingerprint of a cosmic explosion for the first time
Univ. of Arizona — 8:25 am ET (1225 GMT) Voyager Wins Contract with Sandia National Laboratories
Voyager Space — 8:24 am ET (1224 GMT) Emergency Injunction Sought to Protect Texas Wildlife Refuge From SpaceX
Center for Biological Diversity — 8:23 am ET (1223 GMT) QuantX Labs Announces Successful In-Orbit Commissioning of World's First Optical Frequency Comb
QuantX — 8:22 am ET (1222 GMT) |
