Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Planck Spacecraft Loses Its Cool(ant) But Keeps Going

Planck Spacecraft Loses Its Cool(ant) But Keeps Going:

Artist's impression of the Planck spacecraft. Credit: ESA

After two and a half years of observing the Cosmic Microwave Background, the ESA Planck spacecraft’s High Frequency Instrument ran out of its on-board coolant gases over this past weekend, reaching the end of its very successful mission. But that doesn’t mean the end for Planck observations. The Low Frequency Instrument, which does not need to be super-cold (but is still at a bone-chilling -255 C), will continue taking data.

“The Low Frequency Instrument will now continue operating for another year,” said Richard Davis, of the University of Manchester in the UK. “During that time it will provide unprecedented sensitivity at the lower frequencies.”
(...)
Read the rest of Planck Spacecraft Loses Its Cool(ant) But Keeps Going (489 words)


No comments:

Post a Comment