Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Sign in to saveAlso known as GALEX, Explorer 83, SMEX-7, Small Explorer 7
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX or Explorer 83 or SMEX-7) was a NASA orbiting space telescope designed to observe the universe in ultraviolet wavelengths to measure the history of star formation in the universe. In addition to paving the way for future ultraviolet missions, the space telescope allowed astronomers to uncover mysteries about the early universe and how it evolved, as well as better characterize phenomena like black holes and dark matter. GALEX was launched on 28 April 2003 for a 29-month primary mission, which was extended three times before the spacecraft was placed into standb
Key facts
- Spaceflight.name
- Galaxy Evolution Explorer
- Spaceflight.names_list
- Explorer-83SMEX-7
- Spaceflight.image
- GALEX spacecraft model.png
- Spaceflight.image_caption
- GALEX spacecraft
- Spaceflight.image_size
- 300px
- Spaceflight.mission_type
- Ultraviolet astronomy
- Spaceflight.operator
- NASAJPL (2003-2012)Caltech (2012-2013)
- Spaceflight.COSPAR_ID
- 2003-017A
- Spaceflight.SATCAT
- 27783
- Spaceflight.website
- https://www.galex.caltech.edu/
- Spaceflight.mission_duration
- 29 months (planned) (achieved)
- Spaceflight.spacecraft
- Explorer LXXXIII
- Spaceflight.spacecraft_type
- Galaxy Evolution Explorer
- Spaceflight.spacecraft_bus
- Orbview 4
- Spaceflight.manufacturer
- Orbital Sciences Corporation
- Spaceflight.power
- 290 watts
- Spaceflight.launch_date
- 28 April 2003, 11:59:57 UTC
- Spaceflight.launch_rocket
- Pegasus XL (F33)
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Mass
- 280
- Orbital period
- 98.4855
- Official website
- www.galex.caltech.edu
- Image
- Galex.jpg
- Height
- 2.7
- Length
- 2
Show 12 more facts
- mean anomaly
- 144.9927
- argument of periapsis
- 215.0418
- longitude of ascending node
- 285.5367
- Commons category
- GALEX
- UTC date of spacecraft launch
- 2003-04-28
- service retirement
- 2013-06-28
- nominal power output
- 290
- semi-major axis of an orbit
- 7065.55
- orbital inclination
- 28.4855
- periapsis
- 648.261
- apoapsis
- 689.478
- orbital eccentricity
- 0.0003692
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
~8 min read
Article
10 sectionsContents
- Spacecraft
- Launch
- Mission
- Science mission
- Science objectives
- Telescope specifications
- Pre-launch images
- See also
- References
- External links
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX or Explorer 83 or SMEX-7) was a NASA orbiting space telescope designed to observe the universe in ultraviolet wavelengths to measure the history of star formation in the universe. In addition to paving the way for future ultraviolet missions, the space telescope allowed astronomers to uncover mysteries about the early universe and how it evolved, as well as better characterize phenomena like black holes and dark matter. GALEX was launched on 28 April 2003 for a 29-month primary mission, which was extended three times before the spacecraft was placed into standby mode on 7 February 2012, and decommissioned in June 2013.
== Spacecraft == The spacecraft was three-axis stabilized, with power coming from four fixed gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells which supply nearly 300 watts to the spacecraft. The satellite bus is from Orbital Sciences Corporation based on OrbView 4. The telescope was a Modified Ritchey–Chrétien with a rotating grism. GALEX used the first ever UV light dichroic beam-splitter flown in space to direct photons to its Near UV (175–280 nanometers) and Far UV (135–174 nanometers) microchannel plate detectors. Each of the two detectors was in diameter. The target orbit was circular and inclined at 29.00° to the equator.