List of space telescopes - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This list of space telescopes (astronomical

Astronomy

Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...

space observatories

Space observatory

A space observatory is any instrument in outer space which is used for observation of distant planets, galaxies, and other outer space objects...

) is grouped by major frequency ranges: gamma ray

Gamma ray

Gamma radiation, also known as gamma rays or hyphenated as gamma-rays and denoted as γ, is electromagnetic radiation of high frequency . Gamma rays are usually naturally produced on Earth by decay of high energy states in atomic nuclei...

, x-ray

X-ray

X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...

, ultraviolet

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...

, visible, infrared

Infrared

Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...

, microwave

Microwave

Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...

and radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

. Telescopes that work in multiple frequency bands are included in all of the appropriate sections. Space telescopes that collect particles, such as cosmic ray

Cosmic ray

Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation...

nuclei and/or electrons, as well as instruments that aim to detect gravitational waves, are also listed. Missions that look solely within our solar system

Solar System

The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...

, including the Earth

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

, other planet

Planet

A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...

s within our system and our Sun

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

, are excluded; see List of Solar System probes for these.

Two values are provided for the dimensions of the initial orbit. For telescopes in Earth orbit, the min and max altitude

Altitude

Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...

are given in kilometers. For telescopes in solar orbit, the minimum distance (periapsis) and the maximum distance (apoapsis) between the telescope and the center of mass

Center of mass

In physics, the center of mass or barycenter of a system is the average location of all of its mass. In the case of a rigid body, the position of the center of mass is fixed in relation to the body...

of the sun are given in astronomical unit

Astronomical unit

An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance....

s (AU).

Gamma ray

Gamma ray telescopes collect and measure individual, high energy gamma ray

Gamma ray

s from astrophysical sources. These are absorbed by the atmosphere, requiring that observations are done by high-altitude balloon

Balloon

A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...

s or space missions. Gamma rays can be generated by supernova

Supernova

A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...

e, neutron star

Neutron star

A neutron star is a type of stellar remnant that can result from the gravitational collapse of a massive star during a Type II, Type Ib or Type Ic supernova event. Such stars are composed almost entirely of neutrons, which are subatomic particles without electrical charge and with a slightly larger...

s, pulsar

Pulsar

A pulsar is a highly magnetized, rotating neutron star that emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The radiation can only be observed when the beam of emission is pointing towards the Earth. This is called the lighthouse effect and gives rise to the pulsed nature that gives pulsars their name...

s and black hole

Black hole

A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...

s. Gamma ray burst

Gamma ray burst

Gamma-ray bursts are flashes of gamma rays associated with extremely energetic explosions that have been observed in distant galaxies. They are the most luminous electromagnetic events known to occur in the universe. Bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several minutes, although a typical...

s, with extremely high energies, have also been detected but have yet to be identified.

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
3rd High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO 3)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	20 September 1979	29 May 1981	Earth orbit (486.4–504.9 km)
Astrorivelatore Gamma ad Immagini LEggero AGILE (spacecraft) AGILE is an X-ray and Gamma ray astronomical satellite of the Italian Space Agency .ASI has made contact with AGILE: signals from it have been acquired by the ground station at the Broglio Space Centre near Malindi, Kenya and it has been placed in a sun-pointing mode.... (AGILE)	ISA Italian Space Agency The Italian Space Agency is a government agency established in 1988 to fund, regulate and coordinate space exploration activities in Italy...	23 April 2007	—	Earth orbit (524–553 km)
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Compton Gamma Ray Observatory The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was a space observatory detecting light from 20 KeV to 30 GeV in Earth orbit from 1991 to 2000. It featured four main telescopes in one spacecraft covering x-rays and gamma-rays, including various specialized sub-instruments and detectors... (CGRO)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	5 April 1991	4 June 2000	Earth orbit (362–457 km)
Cos-B Cos-B Cos-B was the first European Space Research Organisation mission to study gamma-ray sources. COS-B was first put forward by the European scientific community in the mid 1960s and approved by the ESRO council in 1969. The mission consisted of a satellite containing gamma-ray detectors, which was...	ESA	9 August 1975	25 April 1982	Earth orbit (339.6–99,876 km)
Gamma Gamma (satellite) 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...	USSR Soviet space program The Soviet space program is the rocketry and space exploration programs conducted by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from the 1930s until its dissolution in 1991... , CNES CNES The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research... , RSA Russian Federal Space Agency The Russian Federal Space Agency , commonly called Roscosmos and abbreviated as FKA and RKA , is the government agency responsible for the Russian space science program and general aerospace research. It was previously the Russian Aviation and Space Agency .Headquarters of Roscosmos are located...	1 July 1990	1992	Earth orbit (375 km)
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	11 June 2008	—	Earth orbit (555 km)
Granat Granat The International Astrophysical Observatory "GRANAT" , was a Soviet space observatory developed in collaboration with France, Denmark and Bulgaria. It was launched on 1 December 1989 aboard a Proton rocket and placed in a highly eccentric four-day orbit, of which three were devoted to observations...	CNRS & IKI Russian Space Research Institute The Russian Space Research Institute is the leading organization of the Russian Academy of Sciences on space exploration to benefit fundamental science....	1 December 1989	25 May 1999	Earth orbit (2,000–200,000 km)
High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE 2)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	9 October 2000	—	Earth orbit (590–650 km)
International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory INTEGRAL The European Space Agency's INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory is an operational Earth satellite, launched in 2002 for detecting some of the most energetic radiation that comes from space. It is the most sensitive gamma ray observatory ever launched.INTEGRAL is an ESA mission in... (INTEGRAL)	ESA	17 October 2002	—	Earth orbit (639–153,000 km)
Low Energy Gamma Ray Imager LEGRI The Low Energy Gamma-Ray Imager was a payload for the first mission of the Spanish MINISAT platform, and active from 1997 to 2002. The objective of LEGRI was to demonstrate the viability of HgI2 detectors for space astronomy, providing imaging and spectroscopical capabilities in the 10-100 keV range... (LEGRI)	INTA Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial The Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial is Spain's space agency. It was founded in 1942, as the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeronáutica , and has its headquarters in Torrejón de Ardoz, near Madrid....	19 May 1997	2002	Earth orbit (600 km)
Second Small Astronomy Satellite Second Small Astronomy Satellite The Small Astronomy Satellite 2, also known also as SAS-2, SAS B or Explorer 48, was a NASA gamma ray telescope. It was launched on 15 November 1972 into low Earth orbit with a periapsis of 443 km and an apoapsis of 632 km... (SAS 2)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	15 November 1972	8 June 1973	Earth orbit (443–632 km)
Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	20 November 2004	—	Earth orbit (585–604 km)

X-ray

X-ray telescopes measure high-energy photon

Photon

In physics, a photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic interaction and the basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force...

s called X-rays. These can not travel a long distance through the atmosphere, meaning that they can only be observed high in the atmosphere or in space. Several types of astrophysical objects emit X-rays, from galaxy cluster

Galaxy cluster

A galaxy cluster is a compact cluster of galaxies. Basic difference between a galaxy group and a galaxy cluster is that there are many more galaxies in a cluster than in a group. Also, galaxies in a cluster are more compact and have higher velocity dispersion. One of the key features of cluster is...

s, through black hole

Black hole

s in active galactic nuclei

Active galactic nucleus

An active galactic nucleus is a compact region at the centre of a galaxy that has a much higher than normal luminosity over at least some portion, and possibly all, of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such excess emission has been observed in the radio, infrared, optical, ultra-violet, X-ray and...

to galactic objects such as supernova remnant

Supernova remnant

A supernova remnant is the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova. The supernova remnant is bounded by an expanding shock wave, and consists of ejected material expanding from the explosion, and the interstellar material it sweeps up and shocks along the way.There are two...

s, star

Star

A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...

s, and binary star

Binary star

A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...

s containing a white dwarf

White dwarf

A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...

(cataclysmic variable star

Cataclysmic variable star

Cataclysmic variable stars are stars which irregularly increase in brightness by a large factor, then drop back down to a quiescent state...

s), neutron star

Neutron star

or black hole

Black hole

(X-ray binaries). Some solar system

Solar System

bodies emit X-rays, the most notable being the Moon

Moon

The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...

, although most of the X-ray brightness of the Moon arises from reflected solar X-rays. A combination of many unresolved X-ray sources is thought to produce the observed X-ray background

X-ray background

The observed X-ray background is thought to result from, at the "soft" end , Galactic X-ray emission , and, at the "hard" end , from a combination of many unresolved X-ray sources outside of the Milky Way .The galactic X-ray background is produced largely by emission from hot gas in the Local...

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
1st High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO 1)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	12 August 1977	9 January 1979	Earth orbit (445 km)
3rd High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO 3)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	20 September 1979	29 May 1981	Earth orbit (486.4–504.9 km)
A Broadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey A Broadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey A Broadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey, or ABRIXAS was a space-based German X-ray telescope. It was launched on 28 April 1999 in a Cosmos launch vehicle from Kapustin Yar, Russia, into Earth orbit... (ABRIXAS)	DLR German Aerospace Center The German Aerospace Center is the national centre for aerospace, energy and transportation research of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has multiple locations throughout Germany. Its headquarters are located in Cologne. It is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in...	28 April 1999	1 July 1999	Earth orbit (549–598 km)
Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics ASCA is the fourth cosmic X-ray astronomy mission by Japan's , and the second for which the United States is providing part of the scientific payload. The satellite was successfully launched on February 20, 1993. The first eight months of the ASCA mission were devoted to performance verification... (ASCA)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...	20 February 1993	2 March 2001	Earth orbit (523.6–615.3 km)
AGILE AGILE (spacecraft) AGILE is an X-ray and Gamma ray astronomical satellite of the Italian Space Agency .ASI has made contact with AGILE: signals from it have been acquired by the ground station at the Broglio Space Centre near Malindi, Kenya and it has been placed in a sun-pointing mode....	ISA Italian Space Agency The Italian Space Agency is a government agency established in 1988 to fund, regulate and coordinate space exploration activities in Italy...	23 April 2007	—	Earth orbit (524–553 km)
Ariel V Ariel V Ariel 5 was a joint British and American space observatory dedicated to observing the sky in the X-ray band. It was launched on October 15, 1974 from the San Marco platform in the Indian Ocean and operated until 1980. It was the penultimate satellite to be launched as part of the Ariel programme...	SRC Science and Engineering Research Council The Science and Engineering Research Council used to be the UK agency in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities including astronomy, biotechnology and biological sciences, space research and particle physics... & NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	15 October 1974	14 March 1980	Earth orbit (520 km)
Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors The Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors X-ray telescopes feature curved mirrors whose multilayer coatings reflect and focus low-energy X-rays or extreme ultraviolet light the way optical telescopes focus visible light... (Alexis)	LANL	25 April 1993	2005	Earth orbit (749–844 km)
Aryabhata Aryabhata (satellite) Aryabhatta was India's first satellite, named after the great Indian astronomer of the same name. It was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975 from Kapustin Yar using a Cosmos-3M launch vehicle. It was built by the Indian Space Research Organization to gain experience in building and...	ISRO Indian Space Research Organisation The Indian Space Research Organisation is an independent Indian governmental agency established in 1969 for the research and development of vehicles and activities for the exploration of space within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Headquartered in Bangalore...	19 April 1975	23 April 1975	Earth orbit (563–619 km)
Astron Astron (spacecraft) Astron was a Soviet spacecraft launched on 23 March 1983 at 12:45:06 UTC, using Proton launcher, which was designed to fulfill an astrophysics mission. It was based on the Venera spacecraft design and was operational for six years as the largest ultraviolet space telescope during its lifetime...	IKI Russian Space Research Institute The Russian Space Research Institute is the leading organization of the Russian Academy of Sciences on space exploration to benefit fundamental science....	23 March 1983	June 1989	Earth orbit (2,000—200,000 km)
Astronomical Netherlands Satellite Astronomical Netherlands Satellite The Astronomical Netherlands Satellite was a space-based X-ray and ultraviolet telescope. It was launched into Earth orbit on 30 August 1974 at 14:07:39 UTC in a Scout rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, United States... (ANS)	SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research is the Dutch expertise institute for space research. The Institute develops and uses innovative technology for groundbreaking research in space, focusing on astrophysical research, Earth science and planetary research...	30 August 1974	June 1976	Earth orbit (266–1176 km)
Astrosat Astrosat Astrosat is India's first dedicated astronomy satellite and is scheduled to launch on board the PSLV in 2012. After the success of the satellite-borne Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment , which was launched in 1996, the Indian Space Research Organization has approved further development for a full...	ISRO	2011	—	Earth orbit (650 km)
BeppoSAX BeppoSAX BeppoSAX was an Italian–Dutch satellite for X-ray astronomy which played a crucial role in resolving the origin of gamma-ray bursts , the most energetic events known in the universe...	ASI	30 April 1996	30 April 2002	Earth orbit (575–594 km)
Broad Band X-ray Telescope Broad Band X-ray Telescope The Broad Band X-ray Telescope was flown on the space shuttle Columbia on 1990 December 2-December 11, as part of the ASTRO-1 payload... / Astro 1	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2 December 1990	11 December 1990	Earth orbit (500 km)
Chandra X-ray Observatory Chandra X-ray Observatory The Chandra X-ray Observatory is a satellite launched on STS-93 by NASA on July 23, 1999. It was named in honor of Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar who is known for determining the maximum mass for white dwarfs. "Chandra" also means "moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit.Chandra...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	23 July 1999	—	Earth orbit (9,942–140,000 km)
Cos-B Cos-B Cos-B was the first European Space Research Organisation mission to study gamma-ray sources. COS-B was first put forward by the European scientific community in the mid 1960s and approved by the ESRO council in 1969. The mission consisted of a satellite containing gamma-ray detectors, which was...	ESA	9 August 1975	25 April 1982	Earth orbit (339.6–99,876 km)
Cosmic Radiation Satellite Cosmic Radiation Satellite The Cosmic Radiation Satellite was a Japanese space telescope. It was supposed to be Japan's first X-ray astronomy satellite but was lost due to failure of its Mu-3 launch vehicle. A replacement satellite Hakucho was later launched.... (CORSA)	ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...	6 February 1976	6 February 1976	Failed launch
Dark Universe Observatory Dark Universe Observatory The Dark Universe Observatory is a planned NASA space-based telescope. It will conduct observations of galaxy clusters on the X-ray range with the intent of finding data related to both dark matter and energy.-References:...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	TBA	—	Earth orbit (600 km)
Einstein Observatory Einstein Observatory Einstein Observatory was the first fully imaging X-ray telescope put into space and the second of NASA's three High Energy Astrophysical Observatories... (HEAO 2)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	13 November 1978	26 April 1981	Earth orbit (465–476 km)
EXOSAT EXOSAT The European X-ray Observatory Satellite , originally named HELOS, was operational from May 1983 until April 1986 and in that time made 1780 observations in the X-ray band of most classes of astronomical object including active galactic nuclei, stellar coronae, cataclysmic variables, white dwarfs,...	ESA	26 May 1983	8 April 1986	Earth orbit (347–191,709 km)
Ginga (Astro-C)	ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...	5 February 1987	1 November 1991	Earth orbit (517–708 km)
Granat Granat The International Astrophysical Observatory "GRANAT" , was a Soviet space observatory developed in collaboration with France, Denmark and Bulgaria. It was launched on 1 December 1989 aboard a Proton rocket and placed in a highly eccentric four-day orbit, of which three were devoted to observations...	CNRS & IKI Russian Space Research Institute The Russian Space Research Institute is the leading organization of the Russian Academy of Sciences on space exploration to benefit fundamental science....	1 December 1989	25 May 1999	Earth orbit (2,000–200,000 km)
Hakucho Hakucho Hakucho was Japan's first X-ray astronomy satellite, developed by the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science...	ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...	21 February 1979	16 April 1985	Earth orbit (421–433 km)
High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE 2)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	9 October 2000	—	Earth orbit (590–650 km)
International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL)	ESA	17 October 2002	—	Earth orbit (639–153,000 km)
International X-ray Observatory International X-ray Observatory The International X-ray Observatory was a planned X-ray telescope from about 2008 to 2011 by NASA, ESA, and JAXA. In 2011, NASA pulled out and ESA is forking/rebooting the project as the ESA Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics ., which is an L-class candidate within the ESA Cosmic...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	TBA	—	—
Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array is a planned space-based X-ray telescope that will use grazing incidence mirrors to focus high energy X-rays at 5 to 79 keV from astrophysical sources, especially for nuclear spectroscopy... (NuSTAR)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	3 February 2012	—	Earth orbit (525 km)
ROSAT ROSAT ROSAT was a German Aerospace Center-led satellite X-ray telescope, with instruments built by Germany, the UK and the US...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & DLR German Aerospace Center The German Aerospace Center is the national centre for aerospace, energy and transportation research of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has multiple locations throughout Germany. Its headquarters are located in Cologne. It is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in...	1 June 1990	12 February 1999	Earth orbit (580 km)
Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer is a satellite that observes the time structure of astronomical X-ray sources. The RXTE has three instruments—the Proportional Counter Array, the High-Energy X-ray Timing Experiment , and one instrument called the All Sky Monitor...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	30 December 1995	—	Earth orbit (409 km)
Spectrum-X-Gamma Spectrum-X-Gamma Spektr-RG is an international high-energy astrophysics observatory, which is being built under the leadership of the Russian Space Research Institute...	IKI Russian Space Research Institute The Russian Space Research Institute is the leading organization of the Russian Academy of Sciences on space exploration to benefit fundamental science.... & NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2010	—	—
Suzaku ASTRO-E Suzaku is a Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite launched on 10 July 2005 aboard the M-V-6 rocket. The project was renamed Suzaku after its successful launch after the mythical Vermilion bird of the South.... (ASTRO-E2)	JAXA & NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	10 July 2005	—	Earth orbit (550 km)
Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	20 November 2004	—	Earth orbit (585–604 km)
Tenma Tenma Tenma, known as Astro-B before launch, was Japan's second X-ray astronomy satellite, developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. It was launched on February 20, 1983 using a M-3S-3 rocket as the vehicle....	ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...	20 February 1983	19 January 1989	Earth orbit (489–503 km)
Third Small Astronomy Satellite Third Small Astronomy Satellite The Small Astronomy Satellite 3 was a NASA X-ray astronomy space telescope. It functioned from May 7, 1975 to April 1979. It covered the X-ray range with four experiments on board... (SAS-C)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	7 May 1975	April 1979	Earth orbit (509–516 km)
Uhuru Uhuru (satellite) Uhuru was the first satellite launched specifically for the purpose of X-ray astronomy. It was also known as the X-ray Explorer Satellite, SAS-A , SAS 1, or Explorer 42.The observatory was launched on 12 December 1970 into an initial orbit of about 560 km apogee, 520 km...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	12 December 1970	March 1973	Earth orbit (531–572 km)
X-Ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy Mission XEUS XEUS, X-ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy, was space observatory plan developed by the European Space Agency as a successor to the successful XMM-Newton X-ray satellite telescope... (XEUS)	ESA	2018	—	—
XMM-Newton XMM-Newton The XMM-Newton is an orbiting X-ray observatory launched by ESA in December 1999 on a Ariane 5 rocket...	ESA	10 December 1999	—	Earth orbit (7,365–114,000 km)

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet telescopes make observations at ultraviolet

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...

wavelengths, i.e. between approximately 10 and 320 nm

Nanometre

A nanometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one billionth of a metre. The name combines the SI prefix nano- with the parent unit name metre .The nanometre is often used to express dimensions on the atomic scale: the diameter...

. Light at these wavelengths is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, so observations at these wavelengths must be performed from the upper atmosphere or from space. Objects emitting ultraviolet radiation include the Sun

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

, other star

Star

s and galaxies

Galaxy

A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
Astro 2	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2 March 1993	18 March 1993	Earth orbit (349–363 km)
Astron Astron (spacecraft) Astron was a Soviet spacecraft launched on 23 March 1983 at 12:45:06 UTC, using Proton launcher, which was designed to fulfill an astrophysics mission. It was based on the Venera spacecraft design and was operational for six years as the largest ultraviolet space telescope during its lifetime...	IKI Russian Space Research Institute The Russian Space Research Institute is the leading organization of the Russian Academy of Sciences on space exploration to benefit fundamental science....	23 March 1983	June 1989	Earth orbit (2,000–200,000 km)
Astronomical Netherlands Satellite Astronomical Netherlands Satellite The Astronomical Netherlands Satellite was a space-based X-ray and ultraviolet telescope. It was launched into Earth orbit on 30 August 1974 at 14:07:39 UTC in a Scout rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, United States... (ANS)	SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research is the Dutch expertise institute for space research. The Institute develops and uses innovative technology for groundbreaking research in space, focusing on astrophysical research, Earth science and planetary research...	30 August 1974	June 1976	Earth orbit (266–1176 km)
Astrosat Astrosat Astrosat is India's first dedicated astronomy satellite and is scheduled to launch on board the PSLV in 2012. After the success of the satellite-borne Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment , which was launched in 1996, the Indian Space Research Organization has approved further development for a full...	ISRO	2011	—	Earth orbit (650 km)
Broad Band X-ray Telescope Broad Band X-ray Telescope The Broad Band X-ray Telescope was flown on the space shuttle Columbia on 1990 December 2-December 11, as part of the ASTRO-1 payload... / Astro 1	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2 December 1990	11 December 1990	Earth orbit (500 km)
Copernicus Observatory (OAO-3) Orbiting Astronomical Observatory The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory satellites were a series of four American space observatories launched by NASA between 1966 and 1972, which provided the first high-quality observations of many objects in ultraviolet light...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	21 August 1972	1980	Earth orbit (713–724 km)
Cosmic Hot Interstellar Spectrometer (CHIPS)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	13 January 2003	—	Earth orbit (578–594 km)
Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer was a space telescope for ultraviolet astronomy, launched on June 7, 1992. With instruments for UV radiation between wavelengths of 7 and 76 nm, the EUVE was the first satellite mission especially for the short-wave ultraviolet range... (EUVE)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	7 June 1992	31 January 2001	Earth orbit (515–527 km)
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer is a space-based telescope operated by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. FUSE was launched on a Delta II rocket on June 24, 1999, as a part of NASA's Origins program... (FUSE)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & CNES CNES The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research... & CSA	24 June 1999	12 July 2007	Earth orbit (752–767 km)
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	28 April 2003	—	Earth orbit (691–697 km)
Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & ESA	24 April 1990	—	Earth orbit (586.47–610.44 km)
International Ultraviolet Explorer International Ultraviolet Explorer The International Ultraviolet Explorer was an astronomical observatory satellite primarily designed to take ultraviolet spectra. The satellite was a collaborative project between NASA, the UK Science Research Council and the European Space Agency... (IUE)	ESA & NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & SERC Science and Engineering Research Council The Science and Engineering Research Council used to be the UK agency in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities including astronomy, biotechnology and biological sciences, space research and particle physics...	26 January 1978	30 September 1996	Earth orbit (32,050–52,254 km)
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Satellite 4 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Satellite 4 The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Satellite 4 is an ultraviolet telescope in a satellite. It is funded by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and was launched on 27 September 2003 into an Earth orbit with a height between 675 and 695 km.... (Kaistsat 4)	KARI Korea Aerospace Research Institute The Korea Aerospace Research Institute is the aeronautics and space agency of South Korea. Its main laboratories are located in Daejeon, in the Daedeok Science Town. Current projects include the KSLV launcher. Past projects include the 1999 Arirang-1 satellite. The agency was founded in 1989...	27 September 2003	—	Earth orbit (675–695 km)
OAO-2 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory satellites were a series of four American space observatories launched by NASA between 1966 and 1972, which provided the first high-quality observations of many objects in ultraviolet light...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	7 December 1968	January 1973	Earth orbit (749–758 km)
Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	20 November 2004	—	Earth orbit (585–604 km)
Tel Aviv University Ultraviolet Explorer TAUVEX The Tel Aviv University Ultraviolet Explorer, or TAUVEX, is a space telescope array designed and constructed in Israel for Tel Aviv University by El-Op, Electro-Optical Industries, Ltd. acting as Prime Contractor, for the exploration of the ultraviolet sky... (TAUVEX)	Israeli Space Agency Israeli Space Agency Israel Space Agency is a governmental body that coordinates all Israeli space research programs with scientific and commercial goals. It was established in 1983 and is currently headed by Aluf professor Yitzhak Ben Yisrael...	TBA	—	—

Visible

The oldest form of astronomy, optical or visible-light astronomy extends from approximately 400 to 700 nm

Nanometre

. Positioning an optical telescope in space means that the telescope does not see any atmospheric effects (see astronomical seeing

Astronomical seeing

Astronomical seeing refers to the blurring and twinkling of astronomical objects such as stars caused by turbulent mixing in the Earth's atmosphere varying the optical refractive index...

), providing higher resolution images. Optical telescopes are used to look at star

Star

s, galaxies

Galaxy

, planetary nebula

Planetary nebula

A planetary nebula is an emission nebula consisting of an expanding glowing shell of ionized gas ejected during the asymptotic giant branch phase of certain types of stars late in their life...

e and protoplanetary disk

Protoplanetary disk

A protoplanetary disk is a rotating circumstellar disk of dense gas surrounding a young newly formed star, a T Tauri star, or Herbig Ae/Be star...

s, amongst many other things.

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope	Space Telescope Science Institute Space Telescope Science Institute The Space Telescope Science Institute is the science operations center for the Hubble Space Telescope and for the James Webb Space Telescope...	2025	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
Astrosat Astrosat Astrosat is India's first dedicated astronomy satellite and is scheduled to launch on board the PSLV in 2012. After the success of the satellite-borne Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment , which was launched in 1996, the Indian Space Research Organization has approved further development for a full...	ISRO	2011	—	Earth orbit (650 km)
COROT Corot Corot may refer to:* Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, French landscape painter * COROT, a space mission with the dual aims of finding extrasolar planets and performing asteroseismology* COROT-7, a dwarf star in the Monoceros constellation...	CNES CNES The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research... & ESA	2006, 27 December	—	Earth orbit (872–884 km)
Dark Energy Space Telescope Dark Energy Space Telescope The Dark Energy Space Telescope , was a planned project by NASA and DOE, designed to perform precision measurements of the universe to provide an understanding of dark energy...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & DOE United States Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...	TBA	—	—
Gaia mission	ESA	2012	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
Hipparcos Hipparcos Hipparcos was a scientific mission of the European Space Agency , launched in 1989 and operated between 1989 and 1993. It was the first space experiment devoted to precision astrometry, the accurate measurement of the positions of celestial objects on the sky...	ESA	1989, 8 August	March 1993	Earth orbit (223–35,632 km)
Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	1990, 24 April	—	Earth orbit (586.47–610.44 km)
Kepler Mission Kepler Mission The Kepler spacecraft is an American space observatory, the space-based portion of NASA's Kepler Mission to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. The spacecraft is named in honor of the 17th-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2009, 6 March	—	Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit
MOST	CSA	2003, 30 June	—	Earth orbit (819–832 km)
SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory Space Interferometry Mission The Space Interferometry Mission, or SIM, also known as SIM Lite , was a planned space telescope developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration , in conjunction with contractor Northrop Grumman...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2015	—	—
Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2004, 20 November	—	Earth orbit (585–604 km)
Terrestrial Planet Finder Terrestrial Planet Finder The Terrestrial Planet Finder was a proposed project by NASA to construct a system of telescopes for detecting extrasolar terrestrial planets. TPF was postponed several times and finally cancelled...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	TBA	—	—

Infrared

Infrared light is of lower energy than visible light, hence is emitted by cooler objects. As such, the following can be viewed in the infrared: cool star

Star

s (including brown dwarves

Brown dwarf

Brown dwarfs are sub-stellar objects which are too low in mass to sustain hydrogen-1 fusion reactions in their cores, which is characteristic of stars on the main sequence. Brown dwarfs have fully convective surfaces and interiors, with no chemical differentiation by depth...

), nebula

Nebula

A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...

e, and redshift

Redshift

In physics , redshift happens when light seen coming from an object is proportionally increased in wavelength, or shifted to the red end of the spectrum...

ed galaxies

Galaxy

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
AKARI Akari Akari is a Japanese surname and given name and term meaning "light" or "glimmer". It is also associated with:* AKARI, in astronomy, is an infrared astronomy satellite developed by JAXA, in cooperation with institutes of Europe and Korea...	JAXA	February 21, 2006	—	Earth orbit (586.47–610.44 km)
Darwin Mission	ESA	2015	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
Euclid Euclid (spacecraft) Euclid is a planned space telescope, an M-class mission of the ESA Cosmic Vision 2020-2025, planned to be launched in 2019...	ESA	2017 (planned)	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
Herschel Space Observatory Herschel Space Observatory The Herschel Space Observatory is a European Space Agency space observatory sensitive to the far infrared and submillimetre wavebands. It is the largest space telescope ever launched, carrying a single mirror of in diameter....	ESA & NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	14 May 2009	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
IRAS IRAS The Infrared Astronomical Satellite was the first-ever space-based observatory to perform a survey of the entire sky at infrared wavelengths....	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	25 January 1983	21 November 1983	Earth orbit (889–903 km)
Infrared Space Observatory Infrared Space Observatory The Infrared Space Observatory was a space telescope for infrared light designed and operated by the European Space Agency , in cooperation with ISAS and NASA... (ISO)	ESA	17 November 1995	16 May 1998	Earth orbit (1000–70500 km)
Infrared Telescope in Space	ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :... & NASDA	18 March 1995	25 April 1995	Earth orbit (486 km)
James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope , previously known as Next Generation Space Telescope , is a planned next-generation space telescope, optimized for observations in the infrared. The main technical features are a large and very cold 6.5 meter diameter mirror, an observing position far from Earth,...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2014	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
Midcourse Space Experiment Midcourse Space Experiment The Midcourse Space Experiment is a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization satellite experiment to map bright infrared sources in space... (MSX)	USN	24 April 1996	26 February 1997	Earth orbit (900 km)
Spitzer Space Telescope Spitzer Space Telescope The Spitzer Space Telescope , formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is an infrared space observatory launched in 2003...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	25 August 2003	—	Solar orbit (0.98–1.02 AU Astronomical unit An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance.... )
Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite The Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite was an astronomical observatory launched on December 5, 1998 as part of the Small Explorer program within NASA... (SWAS)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	6 December 1998	—	Earth orbit (638–651 km)
Terrestrial Planet Finder Terrestrial Planet Finder The Terrestrial Planet Finder was a proposed project by NASA to construct a system of telescopes for detecting extrasolar terrestrial planets. TPF was postponed several times and finally cancelled...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	TBA	—	—
Wide-field Infrared Explorer (WIRE)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	5 March 1999	no obs	—
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer is a NASA infrared-wavelength astronomical space telescope launched on December 14, 2009, and decommissioned/hibernated on February 17, 2011 when its transmitter was turned off... (WISE)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	14 December 2009	Feb 2011	Earth orbit (500 km)
Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope is a proposed infrared space observatory which was selected by National Research Council committee as the top priority for the next decade of astronomy.... (WFIRST)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... & DOE United States Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...	2020	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...

Microwave

At microwave frequencies, photons are plentiful, but they have very low energy so lots of them need to be collected. At these frequencies, the Cosmic Microwave Background can be measured, as well as point sources

Source counts

The source counts distribution of radio-sources from a radio-astronomical survey is the cumulative distribution of the number of sources brighter than a given flux density...

and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

The Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect is the result of high energy electrons distorting the cosmic microwave background radiation through inverse Compton scattering, in which the low energy CMB photons receive energy boost during collision with the high energy cluster electrons...

, as well as synchrotron radiation

Synchrotron radiation

The electromagnetic radiation emitted when charged particles are accelerated radially is called synchrotron radiation. It is produced in synchrotrons using bending magnets, undulators and/or wigglers...

and Bremsstrahlung

Bremsstrahlung

Bremsstrahlung is electromagnetic radiation produced by the deceleration of a charged particle when deflected by another charged particle, typically an electron by an atomic nucleus. The moving particle loses kinetic energy, which is converted into a photon because energy is conserved. The term is...

from our own galaxy

Galaxy

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	18 November 1989	23 December 1993	Earth orbit (900 km)
Odin Odin (satellite) Odin is a Swedish satellite working in two disciplines; astrophysics and aeronomy, and it was named after god Odin. Within the field of astrophysics, Odin is used in the study of star formation...	Swedish Space Corporation Swedish Space Corporation The Swedish Space Corporation is a comprehensive space company covering the entire field, from the definition of innovative business concepts and space projects to the development, tests and operation of the systems....	20 February 2001	—	Earth orbit (622 km)
Planck	ESA	14 May 2009	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
WMAP	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	30 June 2001	—	Sun Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields... -Earth Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... L₂ Lagrange point Lagrangian point The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...

Radio

As the atmosphere is transparent for radio waves, radio telescopes in space are of most use for Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Very Long Baseline Interferometry is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy. It allows observations of an object that are made simultaneously by many telescopes to be combined, emulating a telescope with a size equal to the maximum separation between the telescopes.Data...

; doing simultaneous observations of a source with both a satellite and a ground-based telescope and by correlating their signals to simulate a radio telescope the size of the separation between the two telescopes. Observations can be of supernova remnant

Supernova remnant

s, masers

Astrophysical maser

An astrophysical maser is a naturally occurring source of stimulated spectral line emission, typically in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum...

, gravitational lens

Gravitational lens

A gravitational lens refers to a distribution of matter between a distant source and an observer, that is capable of bending the light from the source, as it travels towards the observer...

es, starburst galaxies

Starburst galaxy

A starburst galaxy is a galaxy in the process of an exceptionally high rate of star formation, compared to the usual star formation rate seen in most galaxies. Galaxies are often observed to have a burst of star formation after a collision or close encounter between two galaxies...

, and many other things.

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy (HALCA, or VSOP) HALCA The HALCA , also known for its project name VSOP , or the code name MUSES-B for the second of the Mu Space Engineering Spacecraft series, is a Japanese 8 meter diameter radio telescope satellite which was used for Very Long Baseline Interferometry...	ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...	12 February 1997	30 November 2005	Earth orbit (560–21,400 km)
RadioAstron RadioAstron Spektr-R is a Russian orbital radio telescope, and currently the largest space telescope in orbit. It is funded by the Russian Astro Space Center, and was launched into Earth orbit on 18 July 2011, with a perigee of and an apogee of , about 700 times of the orbital height of the Hubble Space...	ASC LPI Astro Space Center (Russia) This enclave of scientific research is officially known as Astro Space Center of PN Lebedev Physics Institute, and is under the purview of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Generally speaking, the space center's mission focuses on astrophysics, which includes cosmology. The emphasis is on...	May 2011	—	Earth orbit (10,000–390,000 km)
VSOP-2 ASTRO-G Astro-G is a planned radio telescope satellite under development by JAXA. It is expected to be launched into elliptic orbit around Earth . Astro-G was selected in February 2006 against the competition of a proposed new X-Ray astronomy mission and a proposed solar sail mission to Jupiter...	JAXA	2012	—	—

Particle detection

Spacecraft and space-based modules that do particle detection, looking for cosmic ray

Cosmic ray

s and electron

Electron

The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...

s. These can be emitted by the sun

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

(Solar Energetic Particles

Solar Energetic Particles

Solar Energetic Particles are high-energy particles coming from the Sun which had been first observed in the early 1940s. They consist of protons, electrons and heavy ions with energy ranging from a few tens of keV to GeV...

), our galaxy

Milky Way

The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...

(Galactic cosmic ray

Galactic cosmic ray

Galactic cosmic rays are cosmic rays that have their origin inside our Galaxy. GCRs are high-energy charged particles, and are usually protons, electrons, and fully ionized nuclei of light elements...

s) and extragalactic sources (Extragalactic cosmic ray

Extragalactic cosmic ray

Extragalactic cosmic rays are very-high-energy particles that flow into our solar system from beyond our galaxy. The energies these particles possess are in excess of 1015 eV.- Origin :...

s). There are also Ultra-high-energy cosmic ray

Ultra-high-energy cosmic ray

In astroparticle physics, an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray or extreme-energy cosmic ray is a cosmic ray with an extreme kinetic energy, far beyond both its rest mass and energies typical of other cosmic rays....

s from active galactic nuclei.

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location
3rd High Energy Astrophysics Observatory (HEAO 3)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	20 September 1979	29 May 1981	Earth orbit (486.4–504.9 km)
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 01 (AMS-01)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2 June 1998	12 June 1998	Earth orbit (296 km)
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 02 Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, also designated AMS-02, is a particle physics experiment module that is mounted on the International Space Station. It is designed to search for various types of unusual matter by measuring cosmic rays. Its experiments will help researchers study the formation of... (AMS-02)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	16 May 2011	—	Earth orbit (353 km)
Astromag Free-Flyer Astromag Free-Flyer The Particle Astrophysics Magnet Facility is a NASA project that was designed to investigate anti-matter. It consisted of a series of experiments which would culminate in an experiment launched in 1995 to be externally attached to the Space Station-History:Experiments and postulation conducted...	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	1 January 2005	—	Earth orbit (500 km)
Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA)	ISA Italian Space Agency The Italian Space Agency is a government agency established in 1988 to fund, regulate and coordinate space exploration activities in Italy... , INFN, RSA Russian Federal Space Agency The Russian Federal Space Agency , commonly called Roscosmos and abbreviated as FKA and RKA , is the government agency responsible for the Russian space science program and general aerospace research. It was previously the Russian Aviation and Space Agency .Headquarters of Roscosmos are located... , DLR German Aerospace Center The German Aerospace Center is the national centre for aerospace, energy and transportation research of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has multiple locations throughout Germany. Its headquarters are located in Cologne. It is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in... & SNSB Swedish National Space Board The Swedish National Space Board is a Swedish government agency operating under the Swedish Ministry of Education and Science. SNSB distributes government grants to research and development, initiates research and development in space and remote sensing, and is the Swedish contact in international...	15 May 2006	—	Earth orbit (350–610 km)

Gravitational waves

A proposed new type of telescope is one that detects gravitational wave

Gravitational wave

In physics, gravitational waves are theoretical ripples in the curvature of spacetime which propagates as a wave, traveling outward from the source. Predicted to exist by Albert Einstein in 1916 on the basis of his theory of general relativity, gravitational waves theoretically transport energy as...

s; ripples in space-time generated by colliding neutron star

Neutron star

s and black hole

Black hole

Name	Space Agency	Launch Date	Terminated	Location	Ref(s)
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna Laser Interferometer Space Antenna The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is a planned space mission to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves from astronomical sources. LISA was originally conceived as a joint effort between the United States space agency NASA and the European Space Agency... (LISA)	NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...	2018	—	Solar orbit (approx. 1 AU Astronomical unit An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance.... ; trailing Earth)

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