Astrophysics

Herschel

Completed

Image: Apoc2400 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Launched: 14 May 200913:12:00 UTC
Last contact: 17 Jun 201312:25:00 UTC
End declared: 29 Apr 2013
Duration: 4 years 1 month
Destinations: Sun–Earth L2

ESA's far-infrared observatory, which carried the largest mirror flown in space at the time. It studied how stars and galaxies form from cold gas and dust.

Milestones

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2010201120122013

Spacecraft

Herschel Space Observatory

Telescope

Completed

Telescope with a 3.5 m mirror, its instruments cooled by more than 2,300 litres of liquid helium.

Launch mass: 3,402 kg
Dry mass: 3,146 kg
Size: 7.5 m × 4.5 m, span 9 m
Power: Solar
Built by: Thales Alenia Space
Last contact: 17 Jun 2013, 12:25:00 UTC
End declared: 29 Apr 2013
Designator: 2009-026A

Mission details from esa.int.