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Astronomy & fundamental physics missions

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This amazing video shows us some spectacular examples of faint background galaxies that had their light bent by the cluster’s strong gravitational field. One of them, located about two times farther away than the yellow cluster galaxies in the foreground, has been multiple-imaged into five separate arc-shaped pieces. Hubble’s high resolution can even show the details of this background galaxy.

Credits: ESA/Hubble (M. Kornmesser & L. L. Christensen)

Herschel

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Herschel in space, close up on its mirror.

Credits: ESA (Image by AOES Medialab)

Planck

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Planck will scan the entire sky to build the most accurate map ever of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the relic radiation from the Big Bang. The spacecraft will spin at 1 rotation per minute around an axis offset by about 85° so that the observed sky region will trace a large circle on the sky. As the spin axis follows the Sun the circle observed by the instruments sweeps through the sky at a rate of 1° per day. Planck will take about 6 months to complete a full scan of the sky, allowing the creation of two complete sky maps during the nominal mission lifetime (about 15 months).

Credits: ESA (animation by C. Carreau)

Integral

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The task of Integral, ESA's International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory, is to gather the most energetic radiation that comes from space. The spacecraft was launched October 2002 and will help to solve some of the biggest mysteries in astronomy. Gamma rays are even more powerful than the X-rays used in medical examinations. Fortunately, the Earth's atmosphere acts as a shield to protect us from this dangerous cosmic radiation. However this means that gamma rays from space can only be detected by satellites. Integral is currently the most sensitive gamma-ray observatory ever launched. It detects radiation from the most violent events far away and from processes that made the Universe habitable.

Credits: ESA. Illustration by D. Ducros

XMM Newton

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Detecting the Universe's hot spots.

Credits: ESA. Illustration by Ducros

Hubble Space Telescope

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Hubble space telescope in orbit.

Credits: ESA

LISA Pathfinder

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LISA Pathfinder will pave the way for the LISA mission by testing in flight the very concept of the gravitational wave detection.

It will put two test masses in a near-perfect gravitational free-fall and control and measure their motion with unprecedented accuracy. This is achieved through state-of-the-art technology comprising the inertial sensors, the laser metrology system, the drag-free control system and an ultra-precise micro-propulsion system.

Credits: Astrium

Gaia

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Credits: Medialab

Last update: 17 August 2009

Current missions

Herschel operations Planck operations Integral operations XMM-Newton operations Hubble Space Telescope

Future missions

LISA Pathfinder Gaia