EXOSAT
EXOSAT was a completed ESA X-ray astronomy mission launched on 26 May 1983 into a highly eccentric Earth orbit. The observatory made 1,780 observations of energetic sources before its operations ended in 1986.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Exosat missionEuropean X-ray Observatory Satellite1983-051A
- Name
- EXOSAT
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- EXOSAT was a completed ESA X-ray astronomy mission launched on 26 May 1983 into a highly eccentric Earth orbit. The observatory made 1,780 observations of energetic sources before its operations ended in 1986.
- Destination
- Highly eccentric Earth orbit (approximately 90.6-hour period; inclination 73°)
- End Date
- 1986-04-09
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- EXOSAT expanded high-energy astronomy through observations of X-ray binaries, pulsars, and other cosmic sources, including studies of quasi-periodic oscillations in low-mass X-ray binaries.
- Start Date
- 1983-05-26
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 1, 2026 at 13:46:36 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 1, 2026 at 13:46:36 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Programs
- -
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles