Astro-H – Behind The Black – Robert Zimmerman

Japan launches X-ray space telescope

February 17, 2016 8:38 am Robert Zimmerman

After a scrub last week due to weather, Japan today successfully launched a new X-ray space telescope, Astro-H.

I await the announcement of the telescope’s new official name. Update: The name is Hitomi, which means “eye” or “aperture” in Japanese.

Astro-H launch scrubbed due to weather

February 11, 2016 9:05 pm Robert Zimmerman

JAXA has scrubbed the launch of the X-ray space telescope Astro-H on Friday due to bad weather.

No new date has yet been announced.

A new Japanese X-ray telescope to launch February 12

February 9, 2016 9:53 am Robert Zimmerman

Third time the charm? Japan will launch on Friday a new X-ray telescope, the third time they have attempted to put this type of observatory into orbit.

Astro-H, which according to Japanese custom will be renamed upon successful launch, will collect the X-ray spectra for large deep space objects like galaxy clusters. An American scientist, Richard Kelley, has been trying to get this kind of instrument launched since 1984. First his instrument was dropped from Chandra because of cost. Then, two attempts to launch it by Japan failed, one when the rocket failed during launch and the second when the spacecraft itself failed soon after reaching orbit.