XMM-Newton
XMM-Newton is ESA's X-ray observatory for studying hot gas, black holes, neutron stars, stellar explosions, and galaxy clusters. Three telescopes with nested gold-coated mirrors feed imaging cameras and high-resolution grating spectrometers, while an Optical Monitor records visible and ultraviolet light from the same targets. Its highly elliptical, approximately 48-hour Earth orbit permits long observations outside the radiation belts. Launched in December 1999, the mission combines sensitive X-ray spectroscopy with simultaneous observations at other wavelengths.
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Identity
- Aliases
- X-ray Multi-Mirror MissionXMM-Newton mission
- Name
- XMM-Newton
- Status
- active
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- XMM-Newton is ESA's X-ray observatory for studying hot gas, black holes, neutron stars, stellar explosions, and galaxy clusters. Three telescopes with nested gold-coated mirrors feed imaging cameras and high-resolution grating spectrometers, while an Optical Monitor records visible and ultraviolet light from the same targets. Its highly elliptical, approximately 48-hour Earth orbit permits long observations outside the radiation belts. Launched in December 1999, the mission combines sensitive X-ray spectroscopy with simultaneous observations at other wavelengths.
- Destination
- 48-hour highly elliptical Earth orbit at approximately 40° inclination, with an evolving apogee of roughly 92,000–115,000 km, for long uninterrupted X-ray, optical, and ultraviolet observations of the hot and extreme Universe
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- XMM-Newton has operated well beyond its original ten-year design lifetime. Its observations have measured black-hole spin and X-ray echoes, traced hot gas in galaxy clusters, investigated stellar flares and neutron stars, and studied dust rings around gamma-ray bursts. The observatory continues supplying data on the energetic universe and the distribution of ordinary matter.
- Programs
- Start Date
- 1999-12-10
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 1, 2026 at 08:28:09 UTC
- Updated Time
- October 29, 2026 at 13:12:17 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles