Einstein Observatory Program

NASA’s Einstein Observatory Program (HEAO-2) launched on 13 November 1978 as the first X-ray mission to use focusing optics with imaging detectors. It achieved sensitivity several hundred times greater than previous X-ray astronomy missions, opened the first X-ray guest-observer facility to a broad astronomical community, and operated without significant interruption until April 1981.

Identity

Aliases: Einstein ObservatoryHEAO-2HEAO 2Einstein X-ray Observatory
Domains: spaceflight
Name: Einstein Observatory Program
Status: completed
Types: scienceresearchoperationsdevelopment

Details

Description: NASA’s Einstein Observatory Program (HEAO-2) launched on 13 November 1978 as the first X-ray mission to use focusing optics with imaging detectors. It achieved sensitivity several hundred times greater than previous X-ray astronomy missions, opened the first X-ray guest-observer facility to a broad astronomical community, and operated without significant interruption until April 1981.
End Date: 1981-04
Leads
Parent Program
Participants: -
Start Date: 1978-11-13

Assets & Meta

Creation Time: August 13, 2026 at 15:03:21 UTC
Updated Time: August 13, 2026 at 15:03:21 UTC

Other

Official Urls: https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/einstein/heao2_about.htmlhttps://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/observatories/history/missions/heao.htmlhttps://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19800006733