Gamma (satellite)

Short description: Soviet gamma ray telescope

Gamma

Drawing of the Gamma space telescope satellite. The spaceframe and subsystems of the satellite were based on the Progress spacecraft

Operator| RKA
COSPAR ID| 1990-058A
SATCAT no.| 20683
Mission duration| 2 years
Spacecraft properties
Bus| Soyuz
Launch mass| 7,350 kg (16,200 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date| July 11, 1990 (1990-07-11)
Rocket| Soyuz[2]
Launch site| Tyuratam
End of mission
Decay date| February 28, 1992 (1992-02-28)
Orbital parameters
Eccentricity| 0.00326
Perigee altitude| 190 km [2]
Apogee altitude| 233 km [2]
Inclination| 51.6°
Period| 88.45  min
Main
Wavelengths| Gamma ray
Instruments
Gamma-1 telescope (50 MeV to 6 GeV)[3]
Disk-M telescope (20 keV to 5 MeV)[3]
Pulsar X-2 telescope (2–25 keV)[3]

Gamma was a Soviet gamma ray telescope. It was launched on 11 July 1990 into an orbit around Earth with a height of 375 km and an inclination of 51.6 degrees. It lasted for around 2 years. On board the mission were three telescopes, all of which could be pointed at the same source. The project was a joint Soviet-French project.[3]

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 2 Operation
* 3 References
* 4 External links

## Background

The Gamma-1 telescope was the main telescope. It consisted of 2 scintillation counters and a gas Cerenkov counter. With an effective area of around 0.2 square metres (2.2 sq ft), it operated in the energy range of 50 MeV to 6 GeV. At 100 MeV it initially had an angular resolution of 1.5 degrees, with a field of view of 5 degrees and an energy resolution of 12%. A Telezvezda star tracker increased the pointing position accuracy of the Gamma-1 telescope to 2 arcminutes by tracking stars up to an apparent magnitude of 5 within its 6 by 6 degree field of view. However, due to the failure of power to a spark chamber, for most of the mission the resolution was around 10 degrees.[3]

The telescope was conceived in 1965, as part of the Soviet Cloud Space Station, which evolved into the Multi-module Orbital Complex (MOK).[4] When work on Gamma finally began in 1972, it was intended to create a Gamma observatory, the first space station module for MOK, the first modular space station in the Salyut programme.[5] For this, it was designed to add the scientific instruments of the observatory to a spacecraft derived from the Progress spacecraft – with the Progress in turn being a Soyuz spacecraft derivate – and that this spacecraft would dock to a MOK space station. However, in 1974, at the time it became a joint venture with France, the MOK space station project was canceled, and in February 1976, the Soviet space program was reconfigured. When on 16 February 1979 production of the telescope was authorized, the plans for the Soviet space station modules had evolved to use the Functional Cargo Block of the TKS spacecraft instead, with the Kvant-1 Roentgen observatory eventually becoming the first such module for Mir – as a result of these changes the Gamma observatory was redesigned as the free flying Gamma satellite. At that time the telescope was authorized in 1979, it was planned to be launched in 1984, but the actual launch was delayed until 1990.

## Operation

The Disk-M telescope operated in the energy range 20 keV – 5 MeV. It consisted of Sodium iodide scintillation crystals, and had an angular resolution of 25 arcminutes. However, it stopped working shortly after the mission was launched.[3]

Finally, the Pulsar X-2 telescope had 30 arcminute resolution and a 10 deg x 10 deg field of view, and operated in the energy range 2–25 keV.[3]

Observations included studies of the Vela Pulsar, the Galactic Center, Cygnus X-1, Hercules X-1 and the Crab Nebula. The telescopes also measured the Sun during peak solar activity.[3]

## References

1. ↑ Darling, David. "Gamma (Soviet orbiting telescope)". http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/G/Gamma_orbiting_telescope.html.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "NASA – NSSDCA – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details". NASA. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1990-058A.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "The Gamma Satellite". NASA. http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/missions/gamma.html.
4. ↑ "Gamma". Astronautix.com. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/gamma.htm.
5. ↑ Portree, David (March 1995). "Mir Hardware Heritage". NASA. http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/RP1357.pdf.

## External links

* Gamma on the Internet Encyclopedia of Science
* Gamma at Astronautix.com

* v
* t
* e

Space observatories

Operating|

* AGILE (since 2007)
* AMS-02 (since 2011)
* Aoi (since 2018)
* ASTERIA (since 2017)
* Astrosat (since 2015)
* BRITE constellation (since 2013)
* CALET (since 2015)
* Chandra (AXAF) (since 1999)
* DAMPE (since 2015)
* Fermi (since 2008)
* Gaia (since 2013)
* HXMT (Insight) (since 2017)
* Hinode (Solar-B) (since 2006)
* HiRISE (since 2005)
* Hisaki (SPRINT-A) (since 2013)
* Hubble (since 1990)
* INTEGRAL (since 2002)
* IBEX (since 2008)
* IRIS (since 2013)
* ISS-CREAM (since 2017)
* MAXI (since 2009)
* Mikhailo Lomonosov (since 2016)
* Mini-EUSO (since 2019)
* NCLE (since 2018)
* NEOSSat (since 2013)
* NICER (since 2017)
* NuSTAR (since 2012)
* Odin (since 2001)
* SDO (since 2010)
* SOHO (since 1995)
* SOLAR (since 2008)
* Spektr-RG (since 2019)
* Spitzer (since 2003)
* STEREO (since 2006)
* Swift (since 2004)
* TESS (since 2018)
* WISE (since 2009)
* XMM-Newton (since 1999)

Planned|

* CHEOPS (2019)
* iWF-MAXI (2019)
* Astro-1 Telescope (2020)
* ILO-1 (2020)
* LUCI (2020)
* Nano-JASMINE (2020)
* ORBIS (2020)
* Solar Orbiter (SolO) (2020)
* IXPE (2021)
* James Webb (JWST) (2021)
* LORD (2021)
* SVOM (2021)
* XPoSat (2021)
* Euclid (2022)
* Space Solar Telescope (2022)
* XRISM (2022)
* Xuntian (2022)
* K-EUSO (2023)
* Solar-C (2023)
* SPHEREx (2023)
* Small-JASMINE (2024)
* Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission (2025+)
* Spektr-UV (2025)
* WFIRST (2025+)
* PLATO (2026)
* LiteBIRD (2027)
* ARIEL (2028)
* Spektr-M (2030+)
* ATHENA (2031)
* LISA (2034)

Proposed|

* Arcus
* AstroSat-2
* EXCEDE
* Fresnel Imager
* FOCAL
* HabEx
* Hibari
* Hypertelescope
* JEM-EUSO
* LUVOIR
* ATLAST
* HDST
* Lynx
* Nautilus Deep Space Observatory
* New Worlds Mission
* NRO donation to NASA
* OST
* PhoENiX
* Solar-D
* SPICA
* THEIA
* THESEUS

Retired|

* Akari (Astro-F) (2006–2011)
* ALEXIS (1993–2005)
* Alouette 1 (1962–1972)
* Ariel 1 (1962, 1964)
* Ariel 2 (1964)
* Ariel 3 (1967–1969)
* Ariel 4 (1971–1972)
* Ariel 5 (1974–1980)
* Ariel 6 (1979–1982)
* ATM (1973–1974)
* ASCA (Astro-D) (1993–2000)
* Astro-1 (1990)
* BBXRT
* HUT
* Astro-2 (HUT) (1995)
* Astron (1983–1989)
* ANS (1974–1976)
* BeppoSAX (1996–2003)
* CHIPSat (2003–2008)
* Compton (CGRO) (1991–2000)
* CoRoT (2006–2013)
* Cos-B (1975–1982)
* COBE (1989–1993)
* DXS (1993)
* EPOCh (2008)
* EPOXI (2010)
* Explorer 11 (1961)
* EXOSAT (1983–1986)
* EUVE (1992–2001)
* FUSE (1999–2007)
* Kvant-1 (1987–2001)
* GALEX (2003–2013)
* Gamma (1990–1992)
* Ginga (Astro-C) (1987–1991)
* Granat (1989–1998)
* Hakucho (CORSA-b) (1979–1985)
* HALCA (MUSES-B) (1997–2005)
* HEAO-1 (1977–1979)
* Herschel (2009–2013)
* Hinotori (Astro-A) (1981–1991)
* HEAO-2 (Einstein Obs.) (1978–1982)
* HEAO-3 (1979–1981)
* HETE-2 (2000–2008)
* Hipparcos (1989–1993)
* IUE (1978–1996)
* IRAS (1983)
* IRTS (1995–1996)
* ISO (1996–1998)
* IXAE (1996–2004)
* Kepler (2009–2018)
* Kristall (1990–2001)
* LEGRI (1997–2002)
* LISA Pathfinder (2015–2017)
* MOST (2003–2019)
* MSX (1996–1997)
* OAO-2 (1968–1973)
* OAO-3 (Copernicus) (1972–1981)
* Orbiting Solar Observatory
* OSO 1
* OSO 2/OSO B
* OSO 3
* OSO 4
* OSO 5
* OSO 6
* OSO 7
* OSO 8
* Orion 1 (1971)
* Orion 2 (1973)
* PAMELA (2006–2016)
* PicSat (2018)
* Planck (2009–2013)
* RELIKT-1 (1983–1984)
* R/HESSI (2002–2018)
* ROSAT (1990–1999)
* RXTE (1995–2012)
* SAMPEX (1992–2004)
* SAS-B (1972–1973)
* SAS-C (1975–1979)
* Solwind (1979–1985)
* Spektr-R (2011–2019)
* Suzaku (Astro-EII) (2005–2015)
* Taiyo (SRATS) (1975–1980)
* Tenma (Astro-B) (1983–1985)
* Uhuru (1970–1973)
* Vanguard 3 (1959)
* WMAP (2001–2010)
* Yokoh (Solar-A) (1991–2001)

Hibernating
(Mission completed)|

* SWAS (1998–2005)
* TRACE (1998–2010)

Lost|

* OAO-1 (1966)
* OAO-B (1970)
* CORSA (1976)
* OSO C (1965)
* ABRIXAS (1999)
* HETE-1 (1996)
* WIRE (1999)
* Astro-E (2000)
* Tsubame (2014–2015)
* Hitomi (Astro-H) (2016)

Cancelled|

* AOSO
* Astro-G
* Constellation-X
* Darwin
* Destiny
* EChO
* Eddington
* FAME
* FINESSE
* GEMS
* HOP
* IXO
* JDEM
* LOFT
* OSO J
* OSO K
* Sentinel
* SIM & SIMlite
* SNAP
* SPOrt
* TAUVEX
* TPF
* XEUS
* XIPE

See also|

* Great Observatories program
* List of space telescopes
* List of proposed space observatories
* List of X-ray space telescopes

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Soyuz spacecraft variants

Early programme|

* Sever
* Soyuz 7K
* Soyuz 9K
* Soyuz 11K
* Soyuz-VI
* Soyuz P
* Soyuz PPK
* Soyuz R
* Soyuz 7K-TK

7K series|

* Soyuz 7K-OK
* Soyuz 7K-L1
* Soyuz 7K-LOK
* Soyuz 7K-TK
* Soyuz 7K-OKS
* Soyuz 7K-T
* Soyuz 7K-T/A9
* Soyuz 7K-TM
* Soyuz 7K-MF6

Later series|

* Soyuz-S
* Soyuz-T
* Soyuz-TM
* Soyuz-TMA/Soyuz TMA-M
* Soyuz-MS

Progress|

* Progress 7K-TG
* Progress-M
* Progress-M1
* Progress-M2
* Progress-MS

Other derivatives|

* Aelita
* Gamma

* v
* t
* e

Soviet and Russian space program

* Roscosmos

Launch sites|

* Baikonur Cosmodrome (in Kazakhstan)
* Dombarovsky
* Kapustin Yar
* Plesetsk Cosmodrome
* Svobodny Cosmodrome (defunct)
* Vostochny Cosmodrome

Launch vehicles|

* Angara
* Proton
* Soyuz

Human spaceflight
programs|

| Past|

* Vostok
* Voskhod
* Salyut
* Almaz (incorporated into Salyut program) / TKS
* Soyuz-Apollo Test Project (joint)
* Mir
* Shuttle–Mir (joint)
* Energia / Buran

|

Cancelled|

* Zond (7K-L1) (Moon flyby)
* Soviet crewed lunar programs (Moon landing)
* Zvezda (moonbase)
* TMK (Mars/Venus flyby)
* Spiral
* Zvezda
* Zarya
* MAKS
* Kliper

Active|

* International Space Station (joint)
* Russian Orbital Segment
* Soyuz

In development|

* Orel

Robotic
programs|

| Past|

* Sputnik
* Sputnik programme (1957–1960)
* DS (1960–1977)
* Prognoz (1972–1996)
* Luna programme (1959–1976)
* Venera (1961–1984)
* Zond program (1964–1970)
* Astron (1983)
* Vega program (1984)
* Granat (1989)
* Gamma (1990)
* Mars 96 (failed) (1996)
* Resurs-DK No.1 (2006)
* Koronas-Foton (2009)
* Fobos-Grunt (failed) (2011)
* Spektr-R (2011–2019)

|

Active|

* Bion-M
* Elektro–L
* ExoMars (joint)
* Meteor-M
* Resurs-P
* Spektr-RG

In development|

* Luna-Glob
* Luna 25
* Luna 26
* Luna 27
* Luna 28
* Rosalind Franklin rover
* Spektr-UV

Communications|

* Luch (satellite)
* Soviet Deep Space Network

Concepts|

* Baikal-Angara
* Laplace-P
* Mars-Grunt
* Mercury-P
* OPSEK
* Spektr-M
* Venera-D

Images and artwork|

* Mission patches

Related|

* Cosmonaut ranks and positions
* Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation
* Soviet space exploration history on Soviet stamps
* Cosmonauts Alley
* Monument to the Conquerors of Space
* Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
* Soviet space dogs
* Laika
* Ivan Ivanovich

* See also: Space industry of Russia
* Russian Aerospace Defence Forces

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma (satellite). Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Astronomy:Gamma_(satellite)&oldid=727196"
*[no.]: number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template