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Home , Astrophysics, How the Universe Works, Hubble Origins Probe, Infrared astronomy

NASA Science National Aeronautics and Administration

Astrophysics

Discover how the works, explore how it began and evolved, and search for life on around other .

• Probe the origin and destiny of our universe, including the nature of black holes, dark , dark , and . • Explore the origin and evolution of the , stars, and planets that make up our universe. • Discover and study planets around other stars, and explore whether they could harbor life.

Cosmic of the Cosmos Program Exploration Program

The Cosmic Origins Program (COR) seeks The Physics of the Cosmos Program (PCOS) The Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) to understand how the universe has evolved addresses the extreme physical seeks to discover and study planets orbiting since the , and how its constituents conditions of the universe and the study of around other stars. Since the seminal were produced—the familiar night sky we the building blocks of the universe at the moment in 1992 when an exoplanet was see today, the we live on, and all the most basic level: the space, , matter, discovered orbiting a , there has chemical elements that sustain life. To explore and energy that constitute it. The scope of been explosive growth in the number these topics, NASA’s Cosmic Origins space the Physics of the Cosmos Program includes of identified. The Exoplanet explore the origin and evolution understanding the birth and evolution of the Exploration Program aims at discovering of the galaxies, stars, and planets that make universe ( and cosmic planets around other stars, characterizing up our universe. ), the conditions of matter in their properties, and identifying candidates strong gravitational fields and the hot universe that could harbor life. (X-rays and -rays), and the detection and characterization of gravitational waves Programs from space.

Hubble Space Hubble Mission Overview Science Instruments

Space Telescope Imaging • from the (UV) to the near- (IR) Spectrograph • imaging in the UV and optical range (STIS) Hubble Advanced • deep, wide-field survey capability from Camera for the visible to near-IR Surveys • imaging from the near-UV to the near-IR (ACS) • blind, far-UV imaging The Hubble was launched in 1990 aboard the Discovery. Hubble is a collaboration between NASA Fine and the . Among its many accomplishments, Guidance precision and milliarcsecond Hubble has helped reveal the first exoplanets, played a key role in the Sensors resolution over a wide range of magnitudes discovery of dark energy, shown galaxies in all stages of (FGS) evolution, and found protoplanetary disks likely to function as birthing Cosmic grounds for new planets. Origins high-sensitivity, moderate- and low-resolution spectroscopy in the The only one of NASA’s four “Great ” (Hubble, Compton Spectrograph range (90–320 nm) (COS) Hubble Gamma-Ray , Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and ) that was designed to be serviceable by space shuttle Wide Field astronauts, Hubble has seen its capabilities grow immensely during its wide-field imaging with continuous spectral more than 25 years of operations. Camera 3 coverage from UV into the IR Westerlund 2 (WFC3)

Chandra Mission Overview Chandra X-ray Observatory Science Instruments

• images hot matter in remnants of exploded stars and in distant galaxies and clusters of Chandra High Resolution galaxies, and identifies very faint sources Camera (HRC) • can make images revealing detail as small as 0.5 arcsecs • measures variations across Advanced X-ray sources such as vast clouds of hot gas The Chandra X-Ray Observatory is designed to observe X-rays CCD Imaging in intergalactic space, or chemical variations from high-energy regions of the universe, such as the remnants of Spectrometer across clouds left by explosions exploded stars. (ACIS) • makes X-ray images and simultaneously measures the energy of each incoming X-ray Chandra combines its with four science instruments to capture and probe the X-rays from astronomical sources. The incoming X-rays High Energy are focused by the mirrors to a tiny spot (about half as wide as a human Transmission spectroscopy from Grating high-resolution X-ray hair) on the plane, at a little over 9 meters (~30 feet) away. (0.4–10 keV) Spectrometer spectroscopy enabling The science instruments have complementary capabilities to record (HETGS) measurement of and analyze X-ray images of celestial objects and probe their physical temperature and conditions with unprecedented accuracy. Low Energy ionization state, and Transmission

Chandra chemical analysis of spectroscopy from Grating (0.08–2 keV) Spectrometer deep-space objects Tycho’s Supernova Remnant (LETGS)

Fermi Mission Overview Science Instruments Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

Fermi • observes high-energy gamma rays from (20 MeV–300 GeV) • covers 20% of the sky at once, observing the whole sky every 3 hours Large Area • has four main subsystems: Telescope (LAT) The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope focuses on studying --tracker the most energetic objects and phenomena in the universe. It is an --calorimeter international and multi-agency space mission that studies the cosmos --anticoincidence detector using two different instruments operating at thousands --data acquisition system to hundreds of billions of greater than those we can see with our eyes. Fermi is able to observe gamma-ray sources near the edge of the visible • makes observations of transient sources universe. Gamma rays detected by Fermi originate near the otherwise- • detects X-rays and low-energy gamma rays Fermi obscured central regions of exotic objects like supermassive black Gamma-ray holes, , and gamma-ray bursts. Fermi aids in the study (8 keV–40 MeV) Burst Monitor of mechanisms of particle acceleration in extreme astrophysical • has three main components: (GBM) environments. Among topics of cosmological interest is the information --low-energy sodium iodide detectors --high-energy bismuth germanate detectors obtained about and the periods of and formation --data processing unit in the early universe. 7-year LAT Sky Map

SOFIA Mission Overview Stratospheric Observatory Science Instruments for Infrared (First and Second Generation)

Echelon-Cross-Eschell US-Developed Mid-IR High-Resolution Spectrograph (EXES) Echelon Spectrometer (5–28 µm) German-Developed Dual Channel Far-Infrared Field Imaging Integral Field Grating Spectrometer SOFIA Line Spectrometer (FIFI-LS) (42–110 µm; 100–210 µm) First Infrared Stratospheric Observatory for Test Experimental US-Developed Near Infrared Imaging Camera (FLITECam) and Grism Spectroscopy, (1–5.5 µm) (SOFIA) is an . It is a joint program between NASA (Can be used in combination with HIPO) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The observatory is a heavily Faint Object US-Developed Simultaneous Dual modified Boeing 747SP aircraft carrying a reflecting telescope with an InfraRed Camera Channel Imaging and Grism Spectroscopy effective diameter of 2.5 meters (8 feet). Flying at altitudes between for SOFIA (FORCAST) (5–25 µm and 25–40 µm) 12 and 14 km (39,000 and 46,000 feet)—above 99.8% of the water German Receiver for German-Developed High vapor in ’s lower that blocks most IR radiation from Astronomy at Terahertz Resolution Heterodyne Spectrometer celestial sources—SOFIA conducts astronomical research not possible Frequencies (GREAT) (1.6–1.9 THz; 2.4–2.7 THz; 4.7 THz) with ground-based telescopes. The aircraft and associated systems High-resolution Airborne US-Developed High- Wide-Band Camera and Polarimeter with SOFIA are provided by NASA; the telescope is provided by DLR. Wideband Camera (HAWC+) 5 Channels (53, 63, 89, 154, 214 µm) SOFIA conducts IR and optical observations of star and planet High-Speed Imaging US-Developed Visible Light formation, the , the galactic center, and planets and Photometer for near-Earth objects. Occultations (HIPO) High-Speed Camera (0.3–1.1 µm) Updated German Receiver German-Developed Far-IR for Astronomy at Terahertz Heterodyne 7-pixel Array Galactic Center Frequencies (upGREAT) Spectrometer (1.9 THz, 4.7 THz)

Hubble Chandra Fermi SOFIA Webb Kepler Swift

ST-7 on LISA Pathfinder TESS

For more information, visit: science..gov/astrophysics/missions

Spitzer NuSTAR ASTRO-H CREAM NICER www.nasa.gov NP-2015-9-341-GSFC NICER TESS CREAM ST-7 ASTRO-H NuSTAR Spitzer Swift Kepler/K2 Webb JAXA H-IIArocket. isthreeyears. The missionduration orbitfromthe into low-Earth Tanegashima SpaceCenter, Japan, bya onthe largest scales in the universe.energy ASTRO-H will be launched anddark ofdarkmatter also providekeynewconstraints on thenature galaxiesandclustershow ofgalaxiesformandevolve. The missionwill the extremeenvironmentinvicinityofblackholes, andinvestigate extremely energeticprocessesintheuniverse. The missionwillexplore by theJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)forstudying fromJapan. Itisbeingdeveloped the seriesofX-rayobservatories ASTRO-H understand what powers giantcosmicaccelerators. powers understand what jetsfound in themost extreme activegalaxiesand torelativistic stars explode.the elements and tounderstandhow Observing inyoungsupernovaremnants.material thebirthof Studying fieldsandtheGalacticcenter.extragalactic radioactive Mapping ofcensus forblackholesonallscalesusingwide-fieldsurveys NuSTAR’s scienceobjectivesinclude: primary Conductinga NuSTAR isthefirstfocusing hardX-raytelescopetoorbitEarth. X-rays.universe inhighenergy LaunchedinJuneof2012, the astronomerstostudy allows is anExplorer mission that The disks, exoplanets, anddistantgalaxies. andcometsinoursolarsystem, dustystars, planet-forming Camera (IRAC)channelstowork, arangeofobjectsincluding studying warmed uptoaround-242ºC(-404ºF), onlytwoInfrared allowing Array missionendedinMay2009.The cryogenic The instrumentshave on otherplanets. molecular clouds, mayholdthesecrettolife andorganicmoleculesthat space, dwarfs), like failed stars (brown extrasolar planets, giant Spitzer’s astronomersseecoolerobjectsin IRsensorsalsoallow systems. and newlyformingplanetary telescopes, including dusty stellar nurseries, the centers of galaxies, arehiddenfromoptical scientiststopeerintocosmicregionsthat allow The ofbothstellarbirthanddeath. observer tracemassiveregionsofstar-formation.that As such, Swiftisaremarkable around compactobjects, hotyoungstars whilealsoobserving workhorse fordetectingandcharacterizingtheexplosiveenvironments andscientificinsightfromthetransientuniverse.data SwiftisNASA’s hasamassedatreasuretroveof The diverseSwiftinstrumentation ofthesky.sensitive hardX-raysurvey theearlyuniverse;andperformfirst use gamma-rayburststostudy theburstsevolveandinteractwithsurroundings; determine how gamma-ray bursts; classify gamma-ray bursts and search for new types; The mainmissionobjectivesforSwiftareto: determinetheoriginof in the gamma-ray,bursts and afterglows X-ray, UV, and optical wavebands. Kingdom. gamma-ray Itsthreeinstrumentsworktogethertoobserve gamma-ray burst science. Swift is a partnership with Italy and the United Swift capabilities that willenablefuture deepspace exploration. that capabilities andadvancednavigation provides highbandwidth communications initiative, ExplorerforX-ray theStation ()Timing and Navigation collectedfromtheNICERmission, Using data demonstration atechnology SpaceStation.ExPRESS LogisticsCarrier(ELC)aboard theInternational payloadonazenith-side instrument asanattached a high-heritage and Super-Earth-sized planetsinthesolarneighborhood. bright starsintheskywithanemphasisondiscoveringEarth-sized applications. stable platform resolution telescopes, measurements, gravity planetary andultra- The principlescientificobjectiveofthe planetary systems. planetary harbor techniques; anddeterminethepropertiesofthosestarsthat systemusingother additional membersofeachdiscoveredplanetary sizes, masses, anddensitiesofshort-periodgiantplanets;identify systems; determinethevarietyoforbitsizesandplanetreflectivity’s, planetsthereareinmultiple-star many how these planets;estimate oftheorbits stars; determinethedistributionofsizesandshapes and largerplanetsinornearthehabitablezoneofawidevariety a large sample of stars to: determine the abundance of terrestrial around smaller, dimmerreddwarfstars. surveys This observatory in August 2013andrepurposedasK2todetecthabitableplanets discover Earth-likeplanetsorbitingotherstars. The missionended attached payloadonISSJEMExposedFacility.attached ofcosmicrayparticles.propagation CREAMisplannedasanexternally ray particle willresearchtheorigin, detectorthat acceleration, and Cosmic RayEnergeticsandMass LISA Pathfinder TESS NICER Spitzer SpaceTelescope Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array Kepler/K2 MissionOverview ASTRO-H MissionOverview is a multi-wavelength observatory uniquely designed to the study of of uniquelydesignedtothestudy observatory isamulti-wavelength James Webb SpaceTelescope NuSTAR MissionOverview Spitzer MissionOverview Swift MissionOverview CREAM is an international X-rayobservatory,is aninternational whichisthe6thin Test FittingoftheFlightBackplane Swift ExploreR The Spitzer Mission Overview Mission Overview stars. NICERwillachieve this objectivebydeploying will revealtheinnerworkingsofneutron Opportunity that Planned forlaunchinearly2016. Planned forlaunchinlate2015. Launching nolaterthan2018. Launching no later than 2017. Kepler Planned forlaunchin2016. Neutron StarInteriorComposition NuSTAR based detectors, wave based gravitational high nanometer precision, enablingspace ESA’s LISA Pathfinder spacecraft with System ST-7 Disturbance Reduction (NICER) is an X-ray astrophysics Mission of (NICER)isanX-rayastrophysicsMission of transiting planetsaroundnearby Satellite Transiting ExoplanetSurvey ’s highlysensitiveIRinstruments (DRS)willcontrolthepositionof Kepler (TESS) willsearchfor (CREAM) isacosmic ASTRO-H missionwasto (NuSTAR)

Canadian Space Agency.Canadian betweenNASA,collaboration theEuropeanSpace Agency, andthe SolarSystem.the evolutionofourown Webb isaninternational ofsupportinglifeonplanetslikeEarth,of solarsystemscapable to aftertheBigBang,from thefirstluminousglows totheformation ofouruniverse,light. phaseinthehistory every ranging Itwillstudy aswellHubbleseesinvisible thosewavelengths of seeingat far beyondEarth’s andbecapable moonwilldetectinfraredradiation worldwide. orbiting This tenniscourt-sizedobservatory of the next decade, thousands of serving space observatory is planningforlaunchinOctoberof2018. Webb willbethepremier .telescope witha6.5meter(~21foot)primary The observatory The over previous missions that have operated at theseX-rayenergies. at operated have over previousmissionsthat sensitivity, spatial, andspectralresolutionfactorsof10to100improved (~33-foot) focallength. of providesacombination The observatory into , the NuSTAR telescope was extended to achieve a 10-meter missions suchasChandraandESA’s XMM-Newton. After launching extendsensitivitytohigherenergiesascomparedprevious that opticsandnewlydevelopeddetectors telescopes withspeciallycoated The NuSTAR instrument consistsoftwoco-alignedgrazingincidence than before. 10,000timesbetter DRS isneededtomeasuretheeffectsofgravity CREAM willmeasurecosmicrayparticles inthe10 range. CREAMwillinclude: Telescope (UVOT) UV/Optical (XRT) X-ray Telescope Telescope (BAT) Burst Alert • • • • • • Transiting ExoplanetSurveySatellite Boronated Scintillator Detector Scintillator Boronated Top andbottomCountingDetectors Silicon ChargeDetector Tungsten/scintillating-fiber calorimeter forces tothespacecraftresistexternaldisturbances. applies position ofafree-flyingtestmassintheESApayloadand usesmeasurementsofthe controlsystemthat An attitude to exertup30micronewtonsthrust. dropsofliquidinanelectricfield Eight microthrustersaccelerate James Webb SpaceTelescope Webb MissionOverview Spitzer SpaceTelescope Science Instruments Science Instruments Science Instruments James Webb SpaceTelescope Composition ExploreR Bow ShockNearZetaOphiuchus Neutron StarInterior TrES-2 starsystemwithplanets • • • • • • • afterglows from (170–600 nm) from(170–600 afterglows observations follow-up duringpointed gamma-ray burstafterglows observations follow-up duringpointed gamma-ray burstafterglows witharcminutepositionalaccuracysatellite per year spectra takenforthebrightestUV/optical andobtainsspectraof takes images spectroscopy from(0.3–10keV) andobtainsspectraof takes images spectroscopy from(15–150keV) computes burstpositionsonboardthe detects about100gamma-raybursts Kepler/K2 ASTRO-H is alargeinfrared 12 to10

15 eV energy eVenergy

Credit: Akihiro Ikeshita / JAXA spectrum 0.6–1.0µm. inthe visible-IR with widefieldsofview(24°by24°)operating willbeaccomplishedwith4CCD cameras TESS scienceoperations • • • • brightnesses ofthesestars. more thanfouryearsitcontinuouslyandsimultaneouslymonitoredthe inthesamestarfield. morethan150,000starslocated observe For During itsprime mission, Kepler needed the large field-of-view to withground-basedobserving. associated day-night cycles, seasonalcycles, absorption andatmospheric the interruptions caused by the Earth-like transit and to avoid to obtainthephotometricprecisionneededreliablyseean less than one square degree. The photometer must be space-based arm’sheld at length. The fields-of-viewofmosttelescopesare area of105squaredegrees, comparabletotheareaofyourhand largefield-of-viewforanastronomicaltelescope,a very withan called aphotometerwith0.95-meter(37-inch)aperture. Ithas The KeplerinstrumentisaspeciallydesignedSchmidttelescope energy rangeof0.5–12keV.energy CCDcamerainthe expands thefieldofviewwithanewgeneration (SXI), forwhichtheU.S. contributedthesoftX-raymirrorassembly, extends ASTRO-H’s bandto300keV; energy andtheSoftX-rayImager SoftGamma-rayDetector(SGD) 5–80 keVband;thenon-imaging spectroscopyinthe (HXI)performssensitiveimaging X-ray Imager newcapabilities. withextraordinary The Hard produce anobservatory Three additionalscientificinstrumentsextendthebandpassto and themirrorassemblyforSXS. (ADR), Refrigerator Demagnetization read-outandcontrolelectronics Calorimeter focalplanedetectorarray, including the Adiabatic includes X-ray totheSXS;astate-of-the-art keyinstrumentation teameduptodeveloptheSXSinstrument.have The NASAcontribution 7 eVresolutioninthe0.3–10keVbandpass. NASAandtheJAXA with anX-rayCalorimeterSpectrometer, providingnon-dispersive (SXS), which combines a lightweight Soft X-ray Telescope paired Achieving themissionobjectivesrequiresSoftX-raySpectrometer low background. low (better than 300nsec), resolution, (<3%) energy moderate and large effectivearea (morethan2000cm with technologiesprovidesaphoton countingcapability of mature and timesofarrival tohighprecision. Together, this assemblage The SDDsdetectindividualX-ray photons, recordingtheirenergies 20 arcmin (SDD) pairs. EachXRCcollects photonsfromalargeareaover (XRC)optic/silicondriftdetector collection of56X-rayconcentrator range 0.2-12keV.the energy The heartoftheXTIisanaligned theX-ray NICER willcarry Timing Instrument(XTI), in operating

operational * nolonger (MIPS) Photometer Imaging Multiband operational * nolonger (IRS) Spectrograph The Infrared (IRAC) Array Camera The Infrared multi-object near-infrared spectrometer observe near-infraredobserve (0.6 togetherintooneunit.but arepackaged BothFGSandNIRISS objects nearbrightstars. differentpurposes FGSandNIRISShave with afocusonextremelybrightobjectsandthedetectionoffaint which helpspointthetelescope. LikeNIRSpec, NIRISSseesspectra, (FGSandNIRISS)—FGSis Spectrograph Webb’s guidecamera, Fine Guidance Sensor/Near-Infrared and Slitless Imager well asaspectroscopycapability. (5 wavelengths mid-infrared Mid-Infrared Instrument(MIRI)—MIRIobserves morethan100objectssimultaneously. ofobserving capable near-infrared (0.6 wavelengths breakslightupintoitscolors.device that NIRSpecobserves Near-Infrared Spectrometer(NIRSpec)—NIRSpeciscalleda mirror.and correctingthesegmentedprimary anditisalsotheinstrumentthat imaging Webb usesformeasuring (0.6 infrared wavelengths Near-Infrared innear- Camera(NIRCam)—NIRCamobserves Cosmic RayParticleDetector 2

patch ofsky, patch andfocusesthemonto asmallSDD. Science Instruments Science Instruments Science Instruments Science Instruments Nuclear Spectroscopic Science Instrument – 28 micrometers), modeas usingbothitsimaging Telescope Array LISA PathfinderSatellite Pulsar PSRJ1640-4631 • • • • • * 5.8µmand8.0channelsnotoperational 3.6 µm, 4.5µm, 5.8µm*, and8.0µm* near- andmid-IRwavelengths at general-purpose cameradetectinglightat 70 µmdetector simple spectrafrom50to100µmwith fields ofview: 24 µm, 70µm, and160µm far-IR of wavelengths detectionat four differentmodules: from5to40µm mid- IRwavelengths spectroscopyat high- andlow-resolution ------module: (19–37µm) module: (10–19.5µm)inhighdetail module: (14–40µm) module: (5.3–14µm) - - - a high-resolution, long-wavelength a high-resolution, short-wavelength a low-resolution, long-wavelength a low-resolution, short-wavelength 2.5 x 5 arcmins (operational) at 70 µm 70 at 2.5 x5arcmins(operational) 24µm 5 xarcminutesat 0.5 x 5 arcmins at 160µm 0.5 x5arcminsat – V404 Cygni 5 micrometers). ofwidefield Itiscapable Swift ST-7 – 5 micrometers)andwillbe – 5 micrometers). . A spectrometer is a 2 ), hightime resolution

Credit: ESA – D. Ducros, 2010