Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z
COBE
COBE
COBE
Credit: Manufacturer Image
American infrared astronomy satellite. Cosmology satellite built by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Ball Aerospace for NASA, USA. Launched 1989.

AKA: Cosmic Background Explorer. Status: Operational 1989. First Launch: 1989-11-18. Last Launch: 1989-11-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2,265 kg (4,993 lb). Height: 5.49 m (18.01 ft).

The Cosmic Background Explorer's observations of diffuse cosmic background radiation helped answer basic questions such as whether the matter in the universe was homogeneously distributed, whether the universe was uniformly expanding and rotating, and how and when stars and galaxies first formed. COBE also mapped interstellar and interplanetary dust clouds.

Originally planned for launch on the Shuttle, COBE was redesigned for launch aboard a Delta 2 following the Challenger disaster. COBE's supply of liquid helium was exhausted in September 1990, causing loss of the FIRAS instrument.

The spacecraft was spin stabilized (0.8 rpm about sunline) using 3 reaction wheels and torque rods. Attitude control knowledge (4 arcmin) was provided by magnetometers, earth sensors, sun sensors, gyros. The satellite consisted of a hexagonal spacecraft bus and a cryostat containing 95.7 kg of liquid helium for cooling sensors. This was protected against solar and terrestrial radiation by a conical shield. Deployable solar panels provided 1050W BOL. Downlink was through the TDRSS relay satellite.

The instrument payload consisted of the Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR) to check the thermal and structural uniformity of the early universe, the Far Infrared Absolute Spectrometer (FIRAS) and the Diffuse IR Background Experiment (DIRBE), to search for the remnant radiation emitted from the primordial galaxies as they formed.

NASA NSSDC Master Catalog Description

The purpose of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) mission was to take precise measurements of the diffuse radiation between 1 micrometer and 1 cm over the whole celestial sphere. The following quantities were measured: (1) the spectrum of the 3 K radiation over the range 100 micrometers to 1 cm; (2) the anisotropy of this radiation from 3 to 10 mm; and, (3) the spectrum and angular distribution of diffuse infrared background radiation at wavelengths from 1 to 300 micrometers.

The experiment module contained the instruments and a dewar filled with 650 liters of 1.6 K liquid helium, with a conical sun shade. The base module contained the attitude control, communications and power systems. The satellite rotated at 1 rpm about the axis of symmetry to control systematic errors in the anisotropy measurements and to allow observations of the zodiacal light at various solar elongation angles. The orientation of the spin axis was maintained anti-earth and at 94 degrees to the sun-earth line. The operational orbit was dawn-dusk sun-synchronous so that the sun was always to the side and thus was shielded from the instruments. With this orbit and spin-axis orientation, the instruments performed a complete scan of the celestial sphere every six months.

Instrument operations were terminated 1993-12-23. As of January 1994, engineering operations were to conclude that month, after which operation of the spacecraft would be transferred to Wallops for use as a test satellite.


More at: COBE.

Family: Astronomy, Infrared astronomy satellite, Sun synchronous orbit. Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Thor, Delta, Delta 5000, Delta 5920-8. Launch Sites: Vandenberg, Vandenberg SLC2W. Agency: NASA, Ball. Bibliography: 2, 279, 6, 6421, 12184.

1989 November 18 - . 14:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC2W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Delta 5920-8.
1990 September - .

Back to top of page
Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z
© 1997-2019 Mark Wade - Contact
© / Conditions for Use