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Astron (spacecraft)

Soviet ultraviolet space telescope

Astron

Mission type	Astrophysical research
Operator	USSR
COSPAR ID	1983-020A [1]
SATCAT no.	13901
Mission duration	8 years
Start of mission
Launch date	23 March 1983 12:45 (1983-03-23UTC12:45) UTC
Rocket	Proton-K/D-1 8K82K/11S824M
Launch site	TYURATAM MISSILE AND SPACE COMPLEX
End of mission
Disposal	Decommissioned
Deactivated	March 23, 1991
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	High Earth
Semi-major axis	108,531 km (67,438 mi)[1]
Eccentricity	0.6575927[2]
Perigee altitude	30,791.0 km (19,132.6 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude	173,530.2 km (107,826.7 mi)[1]
Inclination	48.4°[1]
Period	5,930.5 minutes[1]
Mean motion	0.24281115 rev/day[2]
Epoch	19 July 2017 07:25:15 UTC

Astron was a Soviet space telescope launched on 23 March 1983 at 12:45:06 UTC, using the Proton launcher.^[3] Based on the 4MV spacecraft design and operational for six years, Astron was the largest ultraviolet space telescope of its time.

The project was headed by Alexandr Boyarchuk.^[4][5] The spacecraft was designed and constructed by the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory and NPO Lavochkin. A group of scientists from these institutions was awarded the USSR State Prize for their work.^[6]

The payload consisted of an 80 cm ultraviolet telescope, which was jointly designed by the USSR and France, and an X-ray spectroscope.^[7] It could take UV spectra 150-350 nm.^[8]

Placed into an orbit with an apogee of 185,000 kilometres (115,000 mi), Astron was capable of making observations outside the Earth's umbra and radiation belt.

Among the most important observations made by Astron were those of SN 1987A supernova from March 4 to March 12, 1987,^[9] and of Halley's Comet in December 1985, the latter of which enabled a group of Soviet scientists to develop a model of the comet's coma.^[10]

Operation of the observatory ended on 23 March 1991.^[11]

See also[edit]

• Granat - a later space observatory based on the Venera spacecraft bus

References[edit]

• A.A. Бойарчук (1994). Астрофизические исследования на космической станции "Астрон" (in Russian). Moscow: Nauka.

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