First Sino-French Astronomical Satellite SVOM Successfully launched
TapTechNews June 22nd news, in 2018, the first Sino-French ocean satellite was successfully launched into space, opening a new chapter in space cooperation between the two countries. Just now, the first astronomical satellite jointly developed by China and France - the SVOM satellite - has also been successfully launched into space on the Long March 2C carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China.
The Sino-French astronomical satellite (SVOM, also known as the Space-based Multi-band Space Variable Source Monitor) carries a total of 4 scientific instruments, 2 developed by the French side and 2 developed by the Chinese side, and will carry out work such as detecting gamma-ray bursts in the universe and researching the evolution of the universe and dark energy.
Gamma-ray bursts are currently the most violent explosive phenomena in the known universe except for the Big Bang, involving multiple fields in astrophysics from stars and galaxies to cosmology. In-depth observation and research of gamma-ray bursts will help humans solve several major problems in basic science.
The SVOM (Space Variable Objects Monitor) satellite is precisely the most important multi-band detection project of gamma-ray bursts after the American SWIFT mission, with functions and characteristics such as multi-band observation, fast maneuverability, flexible operation and ground follow-up observation.
This satellite is approved and established by the China National Space Administration and the French National Center for Space Studies, and led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It will carry four devices: an X-ray astronomical telescope (MXT), an X-ray and gamma-ray camera (ECLAIRs), a gamma-ray burst monitor (GRM), and an optical telescope (VT).
The working orbit of this satellite is 635km x 30° LEO, with a design life of 3 years and a total weight of about 930kg, and a payload weight of 450kg. It is planned to be launched by the Long March 2C carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in 2023 to detect the most energetic phenomenon in the universe - gamma-ray bursts.
The launch and operation of this satellite are the responsibility of China, while the equipment and ground research are jointly carried out by China and France. It is reported that the French National Center for Space Studies is responsible for managing the French part of the project; the cost is about 110 million euros (TapTechNews note: currently about 856 million yuan) in addition to the cost of human resource consumption.