Open AccessThe Spitzer Space Telescope Mission
Author(s) -
M. W. Werner,
Thomas L. Roellig,
F. J. Low,
G. H. Rieke,
Marcia Rieke,
W. F. Hoffmann,
Erick T. Young,
J. R. Houck,
Bernhard R. Brandl,
G. G. Fazio,
Joseph L. Hora,
R. D. Gehrz,
G. Hélou,
B. T. Soifer,
J. R. Stauffer,
J. Keene,
Peter Eisenhardt,
David Gallagher,
T. N. Gautier,
William R. Irace,
C. R. Lawrence,
L. Simmons,
J. E. Van Cleve,
M. Jura,
E. L. Wright,
D. P. Cruikshank
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the astrophysical journal supplement series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1538-4365
pISSN - 0067-0049
DOI - 10.1086/422992
Subject(s) - spitzer space telescope , observatory , physics , telescope , astronomy , scientific instrument , orbital mechanics , infrared , infrared telescope , remote sensing , aerospace engineering , satellite , engineering , geology
The Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA's Great Observatory for infrared astronomy,was launched 2003 August 25 and is returning excellent scientific data from itsEarth-trailing solar orbit. Spitzer combines the intrinsic sensitivityachievable with a cryogenic telescope in space with the great imaging andspectroscopic power of modern detector arrays to provide the user communitywith huge gains in capability for exploration of the cosmos in the infrared.The observatory systems are largely performing as expected and the projectedcryogenic lifetime is in excess of 5 years. This paper summarizes the on-orbitscientific, technical and operational performance of Spitzer. Subsequent papersin this special issue describe the Spitzer instruments in detail and highlightmany of the exciting scientific results obtained during the first six months ofthe Spitzer mission.
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