main page newsspace newsnasa will launch a telescope to study black holes in 2011.

NASA will launch a telescope to study black holes in 2011.. / September 10, 2009 /

The U.S. space agency has resumed work on the creation of the orbital X-ray telescope NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array). Development NuSTAR was interrupted in 2008 due to lack of funds. The launch is designed to study black holes and supernova explosions, is scheduled for August 2011. On the future of the mission said in a press release, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA.

NuSTAR telescope will operate in the high-energy X-rays. None of the launches to date telescopes was not «sharpened» is a hard X-rays. The main purpose of the mission NuSTAR will observe black holes and supernovae in the central regions of the Milky Way. Furthermore, with the new telescope experts expect NASA to explore the nature of gamma-ray bursts — the powerful energy emission, whose nature has not been fully explored.

NuSTAR includes two telescopes with a specially machined optics and detectors of new generation. It is expected that the sensitivity, spectral and spatial resolution of the new device will be from 10 to 100 times higher than that of X-ray telescopes working now «Chandra» (Chandra) and XMM.

Project NuSTAR luckier than other space missions, NASA, whose implementation has been postponed indefinitely. Due to lack of funding agency with a high probability will have to forego the development of a lunar base.

In addition, for various reasons, including financial, NASA does not manage to finish in time to create new spacecraft «Orion». Planning Committee for manned missions to the Government of the United States, assessing the effectiveness of the agency and selects projects for which later will be allocated the money, advised NASA to extend the Shuttle flight. Final conclusion about the future of the agency will be announced in mid-September.

Print version