SAX [ASI]
SAX (Satellite Astronomia Raggio-X) is the X-Ray Astronomy Satellite selected by the Italian National Space Plan for inclusion in the Science Plan. The objective of the mission is to perform spectroscopic and time variability studies of celestial X-ray sources in the energy band from 1 to 200 keV. including an all-sky monitoring investigation of transients in the 2-30 keV.energy range. The payload includes the following narrow-field detectors coaligned to a common pointing axis:
At 90 deg to the axis of the narrow field instruments is an array of three identical wide field camera units sensitive from 2 to 30 keV. The SAX mission payload and science program is under the responsibility of a consortium of Italian institutes together with institutes from Holland.
The onboard experiments are:
After reaching orbit, SAX was renamed BeppoSAX. BeppoSAX decayed from orbit on April, 29. 2003.
Nation: | Italy, Netherlands |
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Type / Application: | Astronomy, X-Ray |
Operator: | ASI |
Contractors: | Alenia Spazio |
Equipment: | |
Configuration: | |
Propulsion: | |
Power: | 2 deployable fixed solar arrays, batteries |
Lifetime: | |
Mass: | 900 kg |
Orbit: | 575 km × 594 km, 4° |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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SAX (BeppoSAX) | 1996-027A | 30.04.1996 | CC LC-36B | Atlas-1 |