XMM-Newton Observatory (X-ray Multi-Mirror)
A European Space Agency orbiting X-ray observatory launched in December 1999. XMM-Newton is the most sensitive imaging X-ray observatory in the 250 eV–12 keV range ever flown, exceeding the mirror area and energy range of ROSAT, ASCA, and even the Chandra X-ray Observatory. It has three advanced X-ray telescopes, each containing 58 high-precision concentric mirrors nested to offer the largest possible collecting area. In addition, it carries five X-ray imaging cameras and spectrographs, and an optical monitoring telescope. The observatory moves in a highly elliptical orbit, traveling out to nearly one third of the distance to the Moon and enabling long, uninterrupted observations of faint X-ray sources.
| launch date |
Dec. 10, 1999 |
| launch vehicle |
Ariane 5 |
| launch site |
Kourou |
| size |
10 × 16 m |
| mass at launch |
3.8 tons |
| orbit |
7,000 × 114,000 km × 48° |
Related entry
• X-ray satellites
Related category
• SATELLITES AND SPACE PROBES
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