ABRIXAS [GDK]
The ABRIXAS (A Broadband Imaging X-Ray All-Sky Survey) small satellite (A BRoadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey Satellite) was designed to perform the first complete survey of the sky with an imaging telescope in the X-ray energy range from 0.5 to 10 keV.
ABRIXAS was to discover more than 10,000 new X-ray sources mainly active galaxies above 2 keV. In the centres of these galaxies, presumably black holes convert gravitational energy into high-energy radiation. Very often, like in our galaxy, clouds of gas and dust, which can be penetrated by high energy X-rays, cover the centres.
The satellite was launched in April 1999 on a Russian Kosmos-3M booster from Kapustin Yar.
Shortly after launch, the main battery overheated due to overcharging and failed. A workaround to communicate with the satellite when its solar arrays were sunlit was tried out, but after three days the communication attempts failed, rendering the mission a complete loss.
In 2003 a reflight of the ABRIXAS instrument as a NASA SMEX mission under the name DUO (Dark Universe Observatory) was under study, but was not selected.
ABRIXAS reentered the atmosphere on 31 October 2017.
Nation: | Germany |
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Type / Application: | Astronomy, X-Ray |
Operator: | DLR (DARA) |
Contractors: | OHB-System |
Equipment: | 7 Wolter telescopes with an X-ray CCD detector |
Configuration: | |
Propulsion: | ? |
Power: | Solar array, batteries |
Lifetime: | 3 years (planned) |
Mass: | 460 kg |
Orbit: | 544 km × 603 km, 48.4° |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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ABRIXAS | 1999-022A | 28.04.1999 | KY LC-107 | Kosmos-3M | with MegSat 0 |