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GALEX (SMEX 7, Explorer 83)
GALEX (SMEX 7) [OSC]
GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) uses a Modified Ritchey-Chretien (Aspheric corrected) telescope for UV imaging and spectroscopic survey to map the global history and probe the causes of star formation and its evolution over the redshift range 0<z<2.
The GALEX method exploits demonstrated techniques to
- use the Lyman break to measure redshift and distance in photometric and spectroscopic data
- UV slope to measure extinction
- UV luminosity to measure star formation rate and its history over cosmic time
The GALEX space craft is based on Orbital's LEOStar-2 bus.
GALEX was decommissioned on 28 June 2013 after more than 10 years of operation.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Astronomy, UV |
| Operator: | NASA |
| Contractors: | Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) |
| Equipment: | 50 cm Modified Ritchey-Chretien Telescope |
| Configuration: | LEOStar-2 |
| Propulsion: | ? |
| Power: | Deployable fixed solar array, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 312 kg |
| Orbit: | 690 km × 702 km, 29° |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GALEX (SMEX 7, Explorer 83) | 2003-017A | 28.04.2003 | CC, L-1011, RW13/31 | Pegasus-XL |
Further SMEX missions:
- SAMPEX (SMEX 1)
- FAST (SMEX 2)
- SWAS (SMEX 3)
TOMS (SMEX)- cancelled- TRACE (SMEX 4)
- WIRE (SMEX 5)
- HESSI (RHESSI, SMEX 6)
- GALEX (SMEX 7)
- SPIDR (SMEX 8) - cancelled
- AIM (SMEX 9)
- IBEX (SMEX 10)
- NuSTAR (SMEX 11)
- IRIS (SMEX 12)
- GEMS (SMEX 13) - cancelled
- IXPE (SMEX 14)
- PUNCH-NFI, PUNCH-WFI 1, 2, 3 (SMEX 15)
- TRACERS A, B (SMEX 16)
- COSI (SMEX 17)
- Explorer Program
