List of space telescopes

This list of space telescopes (astronomical space observatories) is grouped by major frequency ranges: gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave and radio. Telescopes that work in multiple frequency bands are included in all of the appropriate sections. Space telescopes that collect particles, such as cosmic ray nuclei and/or electrons, as well as instruments that aim to detect gravitational waves, are also listed. Missions with specific targets within the Solar System (e.g., the Sun and its planets), are excluded; see List of Solar System probes and List of heliophysics missions for these, and List of Earth observation satellites for missions targeting Earth.

Two values are provided for the dimensions of the initial orbit. For telescopes in Earth orbit, the minimum and maximum altitude are given in kilometers. For telescopes in solar orbit, the minimum distance (periapsis) and the maximum distance (apoapsis) between the telescope and the center of mass of the Sun are given in astronomical units (AU).

Gamma ray

Gamma-ray telescopes collect and measure individual, high energy gamma rays from astrophysical sources. These are absorbed by the atmosphere, requiring that observations are done by high-altitude balloons or space missions. Gamma rays can be generated by supernovae, neutron stars, pulsars and black holes. Gamma ray bursts, with extremely high energies, have also been detected but have yet to be identified.

X-ray

X-ray telescopes measure high-energy photons called X-rays. These can not travel a long distance through the atmosphere, meaning that they can only be observed high in the atmosphere or in space. Several types of astrophysical objects emit X-rays, from galaxy clusters, through black holes in active galactic nuclei to galactic objects such as supernova remnants, stars, and binary stars containing a white dwarf (cataclysmic variable stars), neutron star or black hole (X-ray binaries). Some Solar System bodies emit X-rays, the most notable being the Moon, although most of the X-ray brightness of the Moon arises from reflected solar X-rays. A combination of many unresolved X-ray sources is thought to produce the observed X-ray background.

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet telescopes make observations at ultraviolet wavelengths, i.e. between approximately 10 and 320 nm. Light at these wavelengths is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, so observations at these wavelengths must be performed from the upper atmosphere or from space. Objects emitting ultraviolet radiation include the Sun, other stars and galaxies.

UV ranges listed at Ultraviolet astronomy#Ultraviolet space telescopes.

Visible light

The oldest form of astronomy, optical or visible-light astronomy, observes wavelengths of light from approximately 400 to 700 nm. Positioning an optical telescope in space eliminates the distortions and limitations that hamper that ground-based optical telescopes (see Astronomical seeing), providing higher resolution images. Optical telescopes are used to look at planets, stars, galaxies, planetary nebulae and protoplanetary disks, amongst many other things.

Infrared and submillimetre

Infrared light is of lower energy than visible light, hence is emitted by sources that are either cooler, or moving away from the observer (in present context: Earth) at high speed. As such, the following can be viewed in the infrared: cool stars (including brown dwarves), nebulae, and redshifted galaxies.

Microwave

Microwave space telescopes have primarily been used to measure cosmological parameters from the Cosmic Microwave Background. They also measure synchrotron radiation, free-free emission and spinning dust from the Milky Way Galaxy, as well as extragalactic compact sources and galaxy clusters through the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect.

Photo Name Space agency Launch date Terminated Location Ref(s)
Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) NASA 18 Nov 1989 23 Dec 1993 Earth orbit (900 km)
Odin Swedish Space Corporation 20 Feb 2001 Earth orbit (622 km)
WMAP NASA 30 Jun 2001 Oct 2010 Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point
Planck ESA 14 May 2009 Oct 2013 Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point (mission)
Heliocentric (Derelict)

Radio

As the atmosphere is transparent for radio waves, radio telescopes in space are most useful for Very Long Baseline Interferometry: doing simultaneous observations of a source with both a satellite and a ground-based telescope and by correlating their signals to simulate a radio telescope the size of the separation between the two telescopes. Typical targets for observations include supernova remnants, masers, gravitational lenses, and starburst galaxies.[citation needed]

Photo Name Space agency Launch date Terminated Location Ref(s)
Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy (HALCA, VSOP or MUSES-B) ISAS 12 Feb 1997 30 Nov 2005 Earth orbit (560–21,400 km)
Spektr-R (RadioAstron) ASC LPI 18 Jul 2011 11 Jan 2019 Earth orbit (10,000–390,000 km)

Particle detection

Spacecraft and space-based modules that do particle detection, looking for cosmic rays and electrons. These can be emitted by the Sun (Solar Energetic Particles), the Milky Way galaxy (Galactic cosmic rays) and extragalactic sources (Extragalactic cosmic rays). There are also Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays from active galactic nuclei, those can be detected by ground-based detectors via their particle showers.

Gravitational waves

A type of telescope that detects gravitational waves; ripples in space-time generated by colliding neutron stars or black holes.

Future launches

Photo Name Space agency Type of observation Planned launch date Location Ref(s)
Aspera NASA UV 2026 Low Earth orbit
CubeSpec ESA Visible light/UV 2026 Low Earth orbit
Gamma-ray Transients Monitor TASA Gamma ray 2026
Xuntian CNSA/CAS Visible light/Terahertz radiation 2026 Low Earth orbit
PLATO ESA Visible light (planet transits) 2026 Geosynchronous orbit
ULTRASAT Israel Space Agency Near-ultraviolet 2027 Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope NASA Infrared 2027 Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point
Compton Spectrometer and Imager NASA Soft gamma-rays 2027 Low Earth orbit
NEO Surveyor NASA Infrared (Near-Earth object detection) 2027 Sun–Earth L1 Lagrange point
ARIEL ESA Visible light/Near-infrared 2029 Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point
UVEX NASA Ultraviolet 2030 Highly elliptical orbit
ARRAKIHS ESA Visible light/Near-infrared 2030 Low Earth orbit
Taiji CNSA/CAS Gravitational waves 2033 Heliocentric orbit
NEOMIR ESA Infrared (Near-Earth object detection) 2030s Sun–Earth L1 Lagrange point
Athena ESA/NASA/JAXA X-rays 2037 Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point
LISA ESA Gravitational waves 2037 Heliocentric orbit

See also

  • List of proposed space telescopes
  • List of heliophysics missions
  • List of solar telescopes
  • Lists of telescopes
  • Lists of spacecraft
  • Great Observatories program

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