reply to post by ngchunter
1962 April 26
Ariel 1 (UK) investigated Solar UV and X-radiation, and obtained an energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays.
1964 March 27
Ariel 2 (UK) Radio astronomy
1966 April 8 (Atlas-Agena D)
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) 1 (Nasa). Active for 3 days.
1967 May 5
Ariel 3 (UK) Radio astronomy
1968 July 4
Explorer 38 (RAE-1) (Nasa). Radio Astronomy Explorer. Deployed four 230-m antennae, discovered Earth's radio radiation.
1968 December 7 (Atlas-Centaur)
OAO 2 (Nasa). 11 UV telescopes, discovered a supernova (May 1972)
1970 November 30 (Atlas-Centaur)
OAO-B (Nasa). Launch failure (fell into Atlantic).
1970 December 12 (Scout-B, from Italy's San Marco maritim platform near Kenia's coast)
Explorer 42 (SAS-1, SAS-A, Uhuru) (Nasa) First X-ray satellite observatory.
Uhuru page at HEASARC (GSFC, Nasa)
1971 December 11
Ariel 4 (UK) Radio astronomy
1972 March 12
TD-1A (ESA). Thor Delta satellite 1A. UV, X-ray and Gamma-ray instruments. TD-1A page (HEASARC)
1972 August 21 (Atlas-Centaur)
OAO 3(=OAO-C, Copernicus) (Nasa). 80-cm UV telescope, then the heaviest scientific US payload (2220 kg).
OAO-3 (Copernicus) page (HEASARC)
1972 November 15 (Scout-B, from San Marco)
Explorer 48 (SAS-2, SAS-B) (Nasa). Gamma-ray spark-chamber telescope. SAS 2 page (HEASARC)
1973 June 10 (Thor-Agena Delta)
Explorer 49 (RAE-2) (Nasa) Radio Astronomy Explorer. Lunar orbit.
1974 August 30
ANS-1 (Netherlands) UV, X-ray astronomy ANS page (HEASARC)
1974 October 15
Ariel 5 (UK) X-ray astronomy Ariel 5 page (HEASARC)
1975 April 19
Aryabhata (India): Indian Scientific Satellite. Measured X-rays from Milky Way and extragalactic regions, besides Solar and ionosphere
observations Aryabhata homepage (HEASARC)
1975 May 5
Explorer 53 (SAS-3, SAS-C) (Nasa). X-ray telescope. SAS 3 page (HEASARC)
1975 August 9
COS-B (ESA) X-ray, Gamma-ray. COS-B page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)
1977 August 12 (Atlas-Centaur)
High Energy Astronomical Observatory (HEAO) 1 (Nasa) X-ray, Gamma-ray telescopes.
HEAO-1 page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)
1978 January 26 (Thor-Delta)
International Ultraviolett Explorer (IUE) (ESA, Nasa, UK) 45-cm UV telescope Working for over 18 years; shut down and destroyed from healthy state
on September 30, 1996, 18:42 UT, because of funding reasons. IUE homepage (GSFC/Nasa), IUE homepage (ESA), Images from IUE (STScI)
1978 November 13
HEAO 2 (Einstein) (Nasa) X-ray telescope. HEAO-2 (Einstein) page (HEASARC)
1979 February 21
Hakucho (Japan) Known as CORSA-b before launch on ; X-ray satellite. Hakucho homepage (HEASARC)
1979 February 24
P78-1 (Nasa) Shot down in USAF anti-satellite weapons test on September 13, 1985. P78-1 homepage (HEASARC)
1979 June 2
Ariel 6 (UK) X-ray astronomy. Ariel 6 page (HEASARC)
1979 June 7 (Intercosmos)
Bhaskara-I (India) Primarily an Earth observing satellite, it also carried an All-Sky monitor similar to Ariel-V. Bhaskara 1 info (Indian
Institute of Technology, Bombay and ISRO)
1979 September 20
HEAO 3 (Nasa) Gamma-ray satellite. HEAO-3 page (HEASARC)
1981 February 20
Tenma (Japan). Known as Astro B prior to launch; X-ray satellite. Tenma homepage (HEASARC)
1983 January 26 (Delta 3910)
IRAS, Infra Red Astronomical Satellite (Nasa, Netherlands). IRAS homepage (IPAC, Caltech)
1983 March 23 (Proton D-1-e)
Astron-1 (USSR) Astrophysical satellite with an 80-cm UV telescope. Astron page (HEASARC)
1983 May 26 (Delta 3914)
Exosat (European X-ray Observatory Satellite, ESA). Exosat data center at ESTEC; Exosat homepage at HEASARC (GSFC/Nasa)
1987 February 5
Ginga (Japan); known as Astro-C prior to launch. X-ray satellite. Ginga homepage (ISAS), Ginga homepage (HEASARC)
1989 August 8 (Ariane 44 LP)
Hipparcos. Astrometric satellite. Although launched successfully, the spacecraft didn't achieve its desied high orbit. Nevertheless, it was
highly successful and measured 118,000 star positions at 0.001 arc seconds acuracy, plus over 1 million positions at 0.025 arc seconds. Hipparcos
homepage (ESTEC, NL; Esa)
1989 November 11 (Delta)
COsmic Background Explorer (COBE) Cobe Project homepage
1989 December 1 (D-1-e Proton)
Granat (USSR); Gamma ray observatory satellite. Granat homepage (HEASARC)
1990 April 5 (Space Shuttle STS-37, Atlantis F-8)
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) (originally GRO) Compton Gamma Ray Observatory homepage, COMPTEL Collaboration
1990 April 24 (Space Shuttle STS-31)
Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (Nasa, ESA). Launched with improperly designed optics. Refurbished December 1993, STS-61. Further service missions
were flown in February 1997 (SM-2, STS-82), December 1999 (SM-3A, STS-103), and in March 2001 (SM-3B, STS-109), a final service mission is currently
scheduled for April 2008 (SM-4, STS-125). Hubble Project Homepage (GSFC/Nasa) Hubble Space Telescope homepage (STScI); Latest results; HST image
archive at SEDS
1990 June 1 (Delta II)
Rosat (Roentgen Satellite) Rosat homepage at the MPE Garching; Rosat Homepage (HEASARC)
1990 July 11 (SL-4 Soyuz)
Gamma (USSR); Gamma ray astronomy. Gamma homepage (HEASARC)
1990 December 2 (STS-35, STS Columbia)
Astro-1 Space Shuttle mission, landed December 11, 1990. Carried several telescopes: UIT, BBXRT. BBXRT homepage (HEASARC)
1991 July 17 (Ariane 40)
SARA (French Highschool of Engeneers in Electrotechnics and Electronics, ESIEE). Radio astronomy.
1992 June 2 (Delta II)
Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) EUVE CEA homepage; EUVE homepage (HEASARC)
1992 July 31 (STS Atlantis)
Eureca (ESA) European Retrievable Carrier (reusable satellite). Carried Watch, the Wide-Angle Telescope for Cosmic Hard X-rays (of 6-150 keV
energy). Retrieved STS Endeavour on July 1, 1993. Eureca homepage (HEASARC)
1993 February 20 (Mu-3 S2)
ASCA, Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics, Asuka (formerly Astro-D, Japan). X-ray telescopes. ASCA page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)
1993 April 25 (Pegasus)
Alexis (DoE, USA). Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors. Built and controlled from LANL. Alexis homepage (LANL)
1994 November 1
GGS-Wind. Carried TGRS (Transient Gamma Ray Spectrometer). GGS-WIND homepage (HEASARC)
1995 March 18 (H-II)
IRTS/SFU (Japan). Infrared Telescope Satellite/Space Flyer Unit. IRTS homepage
1995 November 4
Surfsat. Student-built radio astronomical satellite
1995 November 17 (Ariane 44P)
ISO, Infrared Space Observatory (ESA). ISO homepage (ESTEC); ISO homepage at IPAC/Caltech
1995 December (Delta II)
Rossi X-rays Timing Explorer. XTE homepage (HEASARC)
1996 April 24 (Delta II)
MSX (US Navy): Midcourse Space Experiment. Carried IR instruments sensitive for radiation of 4.2 to 26 microns (micrometers) wavelength. MSX
homepage (Navy Research Lab); MSX homepage (IPAC, Caltech); MSX Celestial Background page; MSX Celestial Background team
1996 April 30 (Atlas-Centaur)
SAX, Italian X-ray sat. SAX homepage (ASI), BeppoSAX page (TeSRE), SAX homepage (HEASARC)
1997 February 12
HALCA, VSOP, Muses-B (Japan): Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy, VLBI Space Observatory Program. Radioastronomical
satellite, carrying an 8-meter antenna to allow VLBI. Muses-B project info page at ISAS; Muses-B homepage; VSOP homepage
1997 April 21
Minisat 1 (Spain) carries the Low Energy Gamma-Ray Imager (LEGRI). Minisat homepage, LEGRI homepage (GSFC), Legri homepage (Univ. Valencia)
1998 December 5 (Pegasus XL/L-1011)
SWAS, Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite. Investigates water, molecular oxygen, CO, and atomic C emissions from interstellar clouds. In
Nasa's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. SWAS homepage (GSFC)
1999 February 23 (Delta)
ARGOS (Advanced Research and Global Observations Satellite). Carries the Unconventional Stellar Aspect (USA) experiment.
1999 March 4 1999 (Pegasus)
WIRE (Wide Field Infrared Explorer). In Nasa's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. This small satellite failed shortly after a flawless launch because
of electronic failure destroying its cooling system. Some optical astronomy was still possible with the 5-cm guiding telescope. WIRE homepage
(IPAC/Caltech), Wire page at GSFC (within the SMEX program), WIRE page at Cornell U.
1999 April 28 (Cosmos-3M)
ABRIXAS ("A Broad-Band Imaging All-Sky Survey", Germany) X-ray satellite. Failed during second day in orbit because of power supply failure.
ABRIXAS homepage (MPE)
1999 June 24 (Delta)
FUSE (Nasa): Far UV Spectroscopic Explorer. FUSE homepage
1999 July 23 (Space Shuttle STS-93)
Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) (Nasa). Developed as Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). X-ray satellite. AXAF info from Harvard; Chandra
XRO homepage (HEASARC); Chandra Homepage (Nasa); Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center (Harvard)
1999 December 10 (Ariane 5)
XMM Newton (ESA): High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy mission. XMM homepage (ESA); XMM Newton Science Operations Center (ESA Villafranca, Spain)
2000 February 10
Astro-E (Japan). Complex X-ray observatory. Lost during launch attempt. Succeeded by Astro-E2 (see below). Astro E page (HEASARC)
2000 October 9 (Pegasus)
HETE-2: High Energy Transient Explorer. To detect GRBs and observe in X-ray and Gamma ray radiation. HETE-2 Homepage (HEASARC)
2001 June 30 (Delta II 7425-10)
MAP: Microwave Anisotropy Probe. MAP homepage
2002 October 17
Integral (ESA, Russia, Nasa): International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory. X- and Gamma ray observatory (15 keV to 10 MeV at a resolution of
12 arc minutes). Integral homepage (ESA)
2003 January 12
CHIPSat (GSFC/Nasa/U Berkeley): Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer. Carries out all-sky spectroscopy of the diffuse background at
wavelengths from 90 to 260 Angstrom. CHIPSat homepage (U Berkeley)
2003 April 28 (Pegasus XL)
GALEX (JPL/Nasa): Galaxy Evolution Explorer. UV imaging and spectroscopic survey mission. GALEX homepage (Caltech), GALEX page (JPL)
2003 June 30
MOST (Canada): Microvariability and Oscillations of STars. Successfully launched from Plesetsk, Russia into a 820-km orbit. Carries a small (15-cm
aperture) telescope, to look for tiny light variations at stars in order to detect e.g. small-amplitude star oscillations or occultations by planets.
MOST homepage (Univ. British Columbia)
2003 August 25 (Delta 7920H)
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) (JPL/Nasa): Developed as Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Large IR telescope in a sophistivated Solar
orbit. SIRTF homepage (JPL)
2004 November 20 (Delta II 7320)
Swift (GSFC/Nasa). Multi-wavelength mission to study Gamma-Ray Bursts in X-ray and UV/optical. Swift homepage (GSFC)
2005 July 10 (M-V-6)
Suzaku, Astro-E2 (Japan): X-ray astronomy for 0.4-700 keV radiation. Backup for lost Astro-E. Astro E2 homepage (ISAS); Astro-E2 page (HEASARC)
2006 February 26 (M-V)
Akari, Astro-F, IRIS (Japan): Infrared Imaging Surveyor. IRIS homepage (ISAS)
2007 April 23 (PSLV-C8)
Agile (ASI, Italy). AGILE - Astro-rivelatore Gamma a Immagini LEggero. Successfully launched with a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) of the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from Sriharikota, India. Gamma-ray astronomy satellite, measuring photons of energy above 100 MeV. Agile
Homepage (INAF)
2008 June 11 (Delta 2)
GLAST (GSFC/Nasa): Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope. Successfully launched from KSC. GLAST homepage
Future: (some of these are in early projection phase only)
2008 September (GSLV)
GSAT-4 (Israel/India): To carry the UV telescope TAUVEX (Tel Aviv University Ultraviolet Explorer), originally scheduled as Israeli part of SXG.
TAUVEX homepage (Indian Institute of Astrophysics)
2008 October
RadioAstron (Russia): Radio astronomy satellite. RadioAstron Project Web Site (RSSI)
2008 October 31 (Ariane 5, together with Planck)
Herschel, FIRST (Esa): Far IR and Submillimeter Space Telescope (85 to 900 microns). Herschel homepage (ESA)
2008 October 31 (Ariane 5, together with Herschel)
Planck, former COBRAS/SAMBA (ESA): Cosmic Background Radiation Anisotropy Satellite/Satellite for Measurement of Background Anisotropy. Planck
homepage (ESA)
2009 February
Kepler (Nasa): Space-based search for extrasolar planets. Kepler Homepage
2009 April
Astrosat (India) UV and X-ray observations.
2009 (Delta-3)
SIM: Space Interferometer Mission. SIM homepage (JPL/Nasa)
2009
WISE (Nasa): Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.
2009
LISA Pathfinder (ESA): Testing concepts for gravitational wave detection to prepare LISA mission. LISA Pathfinder homepage (ESA)
NET 2009 (Taurus)
DUO, Dark Universe Observatory (Nasa, Germany) X-ray survey. In essence, a reflight of ABRIXAS. DUO page (Nasa), DUO homepage (Sonoma State Univ)