![]() Einstein Probe artist impression | |
Names | Aiyinsitan Tanzhen |
---|---|
Mission type | Space observatory |
Operator | CAS, ESA |
COSPAR ID | 2024-007A |
SATCAT no. | 58753 |
Website | ep |
Mission duration | 3 years (planned) 7 months and 17 days (ongoing) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Einstein Probe |
Bus | Phoenix-Eye-2 |
Manufacturer | CAS |
Launch mass | 1,450 kg (3,200 lb)[1] |
Dimensions | 3 × 3.4 m (9.8 × 11.2 ft) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 9 January 2024, 07:02 UTC[2] |
Rocket | Long March 2C[2] |
Launch site | Xichang LC-3 |
Contractor | CASC |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Perigee altitude | 581 km |
Apogee altitude | 596 km |
Inclination | 29° |
Period | 96 minutes |
Instruments | |
Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) | |
![]() Einstein Probe Logo |
The Einstein Probe (EP) is an X-ray space telescope mission by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in partnership with European Space Agency (ESA) and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) dedicated to time-domain high-energy astrophysics.[3][4] The primary goals are "to discover high-energy transients and monitor variable objects".[5] The telescope was launched by a Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China, on 9 January 2024, at 07:03 UTC.[6]
esa-20240109
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).