Abstract The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), a fully approved and funded project of the European Space Agency (ESA), will operate at wavelengths from 2.5–200 μm. ISO will provide astronomers with a unique facility of unprecedented sensitivity for a detailed exploration of the universe ranging from objects in the solar system right out to the most distant extragalactic sources. The satellite essentially consists of a large liquid-helium cryostat, a telescope with a 60-cm diameter primary mirror and four scientific instruments. The instrument complement is: an imaging photo-polarimeter (2.5–200 μm), a camera (2.5–17 μm), a short wavelength spectrometer (2.5–45 μm) and a long wavelength spectrometer (45–180 μm). These instruments are being built by international consortia of scientific institutes and will be delivered to ESA for in-orbit operations. ISO will be launched in early 1993 and will be operational for at least 18 months. In keeping with ISO's role as an observatory, two-thirds of its observing time will be made available to the general astronomical community.


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    Title :

    Overview of the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) mission


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 11 , 2 ; 271-277


    Publication date :

    1991-01-01


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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