XMM-newton

XMM-Newton is an Artificial satellite of observation of the x-rays.

Abbreviation XMM means X-ray Multi-Mirror . And Newton is in homage to the astronomer Isaac Newton.

History

Officially known like the mission High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy , she was proposed in 1984 and was approved by the Council of Ministers of ESA in January 1985, within the framework of her program Horizon 2000. The team of the project was made up in 1993 and the development of the satellite began in 1996. The construction and the tests of XMM-Newton were spread out of March 1997 at September 1999.

XMM-newton was launched by the European space agency (ESA) of the base Kourou the December 10th 1999, by a rocket ARIANE 5.

It is now placed on an orbit active of 7 000 with 114 000 Kilometer S.

The first observations began as of the year 2000.

Objective

The study of x-rays makes it possible to better include/understand the operation of the Universe and the events violent one which proceed there, like the life of the black holes or the explosions of star S.

The study of x-rays can take place only in space, because the terrestrial atmosphere stops them.

Presentation

The satellite weighs 3 800 Kilogram S and measurement 10 Meter S of length and 16 meters broad with its deployed solar panels and 4 meters in diameter. It has on its board 3 Télescope S sensitive to x-rays, designed by the Media Lario in Italy.

Each one of these telescopes is composed of 58 shells of mirrors of the Wolter type, concentric and imbricated the ones in the others. The telescopes cover an interval of photon energy ranging between 300 eV and 10 keV and have a combined collecting surface of 4 300 cm ² with low energies.

The initial duration envisaged of the mission was 2 years and 3 months, but it was prolonged first once a 8 years, then until the December 31st 2012. The total costs of the project are of 690 million euros.

The satellite is controlled with the European Center of the space operations (ESOC), based with Darmstadt, in Germany. The observations are managed by the VILSPA with Villafranca, in Spain. The collected data are processed and filed with the XMM-Newton Survey Science Centers with the Université of Leicester, with the the United Kingdom.

Instruments

Here embarked instruments on board XMM-Newton:

3 cameras with x-rays (EPIC)
2 spectrometers with network (RGS)
1 optical telescope Richtey-Christian (Optical Monitor)
1 monitor of monitoring of radiations ERM

Other satellites with x-rays

The space study of x-rays is a rather recent science. The first detection of extra-solar x-rays dates from the June 18th 1962, by American Riccardo Giacconi and Bruno Rossi.

The first satellite specifically dedicated to this study goes back to 1970. Several other satellites will follow it:

European EXOSAT, 1983;
the germano-anglo-states-unien Rose, 1990;
américano-Japanese Asca, 1993;
the Italian-Dutch BeppoSAX, 1996;
American Chandra, 1999;
Japanese Suzaku, 2005.

Succession of XMM-Newton

The successor of XMM-Newton is XEUS (for X-Ray Evolving Universe Spectrometer ). Developed by the ESA, it aims to be 100 more powerful than XMM-Newton. It will be composed of 2 satellites, for the mirror and another for the instruments. The 2 satellites will be spaced of 50 meters. Part of the assembly is envisaged on board the International space station (ISS).

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