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ULTRASAT




About ULTRASAT / Mission Comparison / Timeline


ULTRASAT (Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite) is a mission being developed by the Israel Space Agency (ISA). NASA has entered into an implementing arrangement to provide launch services and share in the scientific results. The PhysCos/COR program at GSFC is managing the science planning activities and coordinating subject matter expert review.

ULTRASAT is a near-ultraviolet imaging satellite with a wide field of view (204 square degrees). It will provide high cadence observations and rapid target-of-opportunity response, providing a powerful capability for time-domain and multimessenger astrophysics (TDAMM), and will have scientific applications from solar system studies to cosmology.

With a field of view 200 times greater than the NASA's GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) mission, ULTRASAT will conduct unprecedented surveys for variability in the ultraviolet sky. This will enable exciting new discoveries in fields such as gravitational waves, supernovae, and exoplanet habitability.

NASA’s roles in ULTRASAT include arranging the launch of ULTRASAT to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO); providing a US-based archive for ULTRASAT data; selecting US investigators to participate in ULTRASAT’s science working groups; and participating in ULTRASAT alerts for transient astronomical sources.

The NASA arranged launch is currently planned through Kennedy Space Center's Launch Service Program. Launch is anticipated in 2026. The prime mission will last 3 years, and the spacecraft hardware is designed to last longer (6 years).

Additional information on the mission is available from web pages at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Projected Launch Date
2026

Orbit
GEO
Geostationary Earth Orbit

Primary Mission
3 YEARS


Ultraviolet Mission Comparison

Scroll Missions Below ULTRASAT to compare

Mission
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter
Bandpass in the UV region
Point Spread Function
Detector
Field of View
Launch Date
ULTRASAT
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.33 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 230-290 nm
Point Spread Function: 8.3 arcseconds
Detector: CMOS
Field of View: 204 degrees2
Launch Date: 2026 (planned)
GALEX
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.5 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 170-280 nm 135-175 nm
Point Spread Function: 5.5 arcseconds
Detector: MCP
Field of View: 1.13 degrees2
Launch Date: Launched April 28, 2003
(Decommissioned June 28, 2013)
UVEX
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.75 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 139-190 nm and 203-270 nm
Point Spread Function: 2.25 arcseconds
Detector: CMOS
Field of View: 12.25 degrees2
Launch Date: 2028 (pending downselect)
 STAR-X
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.3 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 160-200 nm and 250-300nm
Point Spread Function: 4.0 arcseconds
Detector: MCP
Field of View: 1.0 degrees2
Launch Date: 2028 (pending downselect)
SWIFT
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.3 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 100-400 nm
Point Spread Function: 2.5 arcseconds
Detector: CCD
Field of View: 0.08 degrees2
Launch Date: Launched November 20, 2004
ASTROSAT
Mission: AstroSat
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.38 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 130-300 nm and 320-530 nm
Point Spread Function: 1 arcsecond
Detector: CCD
Field of View: 0.25 degrees2
Launch Date: Launched September 28, 2015
SPARCS
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.09 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 258-308 nm and 151-171 nm
Point Spread Function: 7.81 arcseconds
Detector: CCD
Field of View: 0.445 degrees2
Launch Date: End of 2023 (planned)
CASTOR
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 1 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 150-300 nm
Point Spread Function: 0.15 arcseconds
Detector: CMOS
Field of View: 0.25 degrees2
Launch Date : Late 2020s (planned)
HUBBLE
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 2.4 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 250-290 nm
Point Spread Function: 0.05 arcseconds
Detector: WFC3 Camera
Field of View: 0.002 degrees2
Launch Date: Launched April 24, 1990
Habitable Worlds Observatory
Mission: HWO
Habitable Worlds Observatory
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 6 m, tentative
Bandpass in the UV region: TBD
Point Spread Function: TBD
Detector: TBD
Field of View: TBD
Launch Date: 2040s
CUTE
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.2 m x 0.085 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 251 nm-333 nm spectroscopy
Point Spread Function: N/A
Detector: CCD
Field of View: (Slit spectroscopy)
Launch Date: Launched September 27, 2021
EUVE
UV Instrument Aperture Diameter: 0.4 m
Bandpass in the UV region: 7-76 nm
Point Spread Function: 25-200 arcseconds
Detector: MCP
Field of View: 5.38 degrees2
Launch Date: Launched June 7, 1992
(Decommissioned January 2001 )




Timeline


  1. Mission critical design review
  2. Implementing Arrangement between Israel and USA signed
  3. Collaboration workshop
  4. Delivery of Camera
  5. Delivery review board
  6. Launch
  7. All sky survey complete

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