Granat
Description
Originally called Astron 2, Granat was an X- and gamma-ray astronomical observatory studying high energy emissions from galactic and extra-galactic sources. It was launched from Tyuratam by a four-stage Proton (D-1-e) booster. The observatory was based on the main bus design of earlier Venera and VEGA missions. It was cylindrical, about 4 m long and 2.5 m in diameter. Two solar panels extended from either side of the main body. Mass was about 4 metric tons, with 2.3 metric tons of experiments. The major experiment was a French Sigma coded-mask gamma radiation telescope. It measured 3.5 m by 1.2 m diameter and had a 4.45 by 4.20 deg. field of view. The satellite also carried a spectroscope and an X-ray imaging telescope. The astrophysics payload was developed in cooperation with France, Bulgaria and Denmark. Science highlights included:
(NASA - National Space Science Data Center) |
Facts
Spectrum Studied: Gamma Rays, X-rays Launch Date: 1989-12-01 Termination Date: 1999-05-25 Orbital Location: Earth orbit (2,000 to 200,000 km) Launch Vehicle: Proton Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), U.S.S.R Mass: 900.0 kg Funding Agency CNRS Centre d'Etudes Spatiales des Rayonnements (France) Institut Kosmicheskich Issledovaniy(Inst. of Cosmophysical Research) (USSR) |