Observational Cosmology Missions & Programs
Current Missions
The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
(WMAP) is an Explorer-class
mission that is measuring the temperature of the cosmic background
radiation over the whole sky with unprecedented resolution, sensitivity,
and accuracy. Results from the first year of
operations, announced in February 2003, have placed tight
constraints on many cosmological parameters
and ushered us into the era of "precision cosmology". Results from
the first 2 years of operations will be announced in early 2004. WMAP data
can be obtained from the CMB data archive,
LAMBDA.
Dr. Charles Bennett is the PI,
and EUD co-Is include Kogut, Hinshaw, and Wollack.
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The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE)
was launched on June 24, 1999, to probe several fundamental aspects of the universe, including
the conditions shortly after the Big Bang, the creation and dispersal of chemical elements,
and the properties of gas clouds that form stars and planetary systems. The FUSE Project Scientist
is George Sonneborn.
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The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
observes galaxies in ultraviolet light across 10 billion years of
cosmic history. Such observations will tell scientists how galaxies, the basic structures of our Universe,
evolve and change. GALEX will also probe the causes of star formation during a period when most
of the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The GALEX Mission Scientist is Susan Neff.
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Shown at the left is the ARCADE (Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology,
Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission) balloon payload being readied for
launch at Palestine, Texas. ARCADE is a balloon-borne cryogenic
instrument to measure the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background
radiation at centimeter wavelengths. The instrument uses a novel open-aperture
cryogenic design to minimize sources of systematic error. In
particular, there are no windows between the cold (2.7 K) optics and the
atmosphere during observations.
ARCADE had its inaugural flight in November 2001, and a second flight in 2003.
Al Kogut is the
PI, and GSFC co-Is include Ed Wollack, P. Mirel, D. Fixsen
and M.Limon. Read more about ARCADE at the
ARCADE web page.
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC): IRAC is a camera onboard the
Spitzer Space Telescope (SIRTF),
a cryogenically cooled IR telescope and the last of the Great Observatories.
It was launched in August 2003, and is working as well or better than
designed. The picture to the right is a true color (3.6, 4.5, 5.8,
8 micron) image of the galaxy M81 obtained
with IRAC and released in December 2003 [image credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Willner (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)].
IRAC was built at GSFC;
Harvey Moseley is the Instrument Scientist. G. Fazio at Harvard is the
P.I. IRAC contains 2 InSb arrays (1-5.5 microns), and 2 HgCdTe arrays (2-
28 microns).
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Future Missions
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Development:
EUD is home to the scientists developing
JWST. John Mather is Project
Scientist, Jon Gardner is Deputy Senior Project Scientist, Mark Clampin
is the Observatory Project Scientist, Matt Greenhouse
is Project Scientist for the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM)
and Bernie Rauscher is Deputy ISIM Project Scientist for detector
development. Programmable transmissive microshutter arrays are being developed using
MEMS technology for the JWST Near Infrared Spectrograph
(NIRSpec) by Moseley, Silverberg, Kutyrev, and Woodgate.
Each shutter is individually controllable (open or closed).
The transmissive design allows high contrast, compared to reflective micro-
mirror approaches. To date, a 256x256 pixel array has been constructed and
tested at cryogenic temperatures.
View a Quicktime movie about JWST.
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The Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM) is currently in science definition phase.
Mission Concepts:
SPIRIT
SPECS
SIRCE
The Submillimeter And Far InfraRed Experiment (SAFIRE) is a versatile imaging Fabry-Perot spectrograph covering the spectral region from 145 to
655 micrometers with spectral resolving powers ranging from 5 to 104 planned for SOFIA. SAFIRE can determine the energy balance and
physical conditions in many important phases of the interstellar and circumstellar environment by imaging these regions in lines arising from
molecular, atomic and ionized components, along with the dust emission. These observations are critical to achieving a clear understanding of the
process which result in the formation of stars, and which control star formation on a galactic scale in starburst galaxies. SAFIRE can also examine
active galactic nuclei, cooling flows in galaxy clusters, circumstellar debris disks, and the chemistry of the outer planets.
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