(Xinhua/Chen Haojie)
XICHANG, June 22 (Xinhua) — China on Saturday launched an astronomical satellite, the fruit of nearly 20 years of hard work between Chinese and French scientists, aimed at capturing bursts of gamma rays that flicker like fireworks in the farthest reaches of the universe. .
The satellite, the space-based multi-band variable object monitor (SVOM), was launched at 3:00 p.m. (Beijing time) by a Long March-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in Sichuan province, southwest China, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The satellite has been sent into orbit more than 600 kilometers above Earth and has a designed lifespan of five years, although scientists hope it can be operational for up to 20 years.
“We expect some important discoveries, such as the first gamma-ray bursts that occurred when the universe was still in its infancy, which will help us study cosmic evolution,” said Wei Jianyan, Chinese principal investigator of the SVOM, who works at the Observatories. National Astronomical Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
“We also hope to discover special and rare gamma-ray bursts, and perhaps even see new types of bursts. For example, our satellite is suitable for searching for so-called kilonovae, bright bursts of electromagnetic radiation that occur when two neutron stars collide and collide. merge,” Wei explained.
“Such a detection would be of great importance for the study of stellar evolution and for answering very interesting scientific questions, such as where heavy elements such as gold and silver come from in the universe,” Wei said.
Gamma-ray bursts, generally of very short duration, are the most violent explosive phenomena in the universe after the Big Bang, occurring during the collapse of massive stars or the merger of compact binary stars. In-depth observation and investigation of gamma-ray bursts will help understand some of the fundamental questions in science, Wei explained.
The main scientific objectives of the SVOM include the rapid search and localization of several gamma-ray bursts, the comprehensive measurement and study of the properties of electromagnetic radiation from these bursts, the study of dark energy and the evolution of the universe through these bursts, and the observation of electromagnetic signals associated with gravitational waves, Wei detailed.
Bertrand Cordier, French principal investigator of the SVOM, who works at the French Commission for Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy, indicated that “by using gamma ray bursts as a tool to observe the early universe, we can perhaps observe the first stars. This “It’s very interesting because it’s the only way to obtain information about the universe at that age.”
“We will open a new window for the detection of gamma ray bursts. I hope we will discover new things, new objects that we don’t know yet,” Cordier said.
Four scientific instruments are installed on the satellite, two of which have been developed by China and two by France. The four instruments allow for a large field of view and high precision observation. Their fields of view are capable of covering a quarter of the entire sky, making it easier to detect unpredictable and fleeting bursts in space. Once a target is detected, the satellite will automatically turn toward it and conduct long-duration and high-precision observation, Wei said.
A real-time transmission network will enable unprecedented, integrated, space-based and ground-based observations. Immediately after discovering a target, the satellite will send preliminary position and timing data to the ground within one minute, notifying telescopes on various bands on Earth to point toward it.
And if scientists discover an interesting target in space from Earth, they can use China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to command the SVOM to aim for it in about five minutes.
“Previously, the fastest response among similar astronomical satellites globally took about 20 minutes. So this is a great progress,” Wei said.
The SVOM is not just a satellite, but a complex system that uses linked instruments both in space and on the ground. And these instruments can communicate in a very short time. “We can observe gamma ray bursts at the wavelength from gamma rays to infrared. And this is unique,” Cordier noted.
China and France have established a joint team of about 100 scientists, with Chinese and French members accounting for about 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively. All team members have equal access to all scientific data, and SVOM scientific data will be shared with the international astronomical community.
The overall satellite design, development and in-orbit operations of the SVOM project, as well as the analysis of its data and the publication of its scientific research results, have been or are being carried out by both China and France.
With the support of the leaders of both countries, the project constitutes high-level cooperation between China and France, two important players in space.
The SVOM is a contribution that Chinese and French scientists and engineers have made to the international astronomical community through years of cooperation, integrating high-tech resources from both countries, said Liu Yunfeng, deputy director of the international cooperation department of the CNSA.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. The SVOM is a historic cooperation project between the governments of the two countries, characterized by innovative technologies and significant challenges. Both sides have maintained mutual trust and assistance, and the scope of their cooperation is broad, deep, extensive and of high quality, leading to win-win results and providing a model for cooperation between China and other countries, he added. Liu.
(Xinhua/Chen Haojie)
(Xinhua/Chen Haojie)
(Xinhua/Chen Haojie)
(Xinhua/Chen Haojie)
(Xinhua/Chen Haojie)
