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Mission Profile
| Name (pre-launch in parentheses) | SUZAKU (ASTRO-EII) | |
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| International Designation Code | 2005-025A | |
| Objectives | The SUZAKU (ASTRO-EII) mission will be able to perform various kinds of observational studies for a wide variety of X-ray sources, with higher energy resolution and a higher sensitivity over a wider energy range (from 0.3 to 600 keV) than ever before achieved. Some examples of the scientific objectives of SUZAKU (ASTRO-EII) follow:
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| Launch | Date | July 10, 2005 |
| Location | Uchinoura Space Center | |
| Launch Vehicle | ||
| Configuration | Weight | 1700 kg at launch |
| Dimensions | 6.5m, 2.0m, 1.9m 5.4m full width at deployment of solar paddle  [Click image for enlargement] |
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| Orbit | Altitude | 550 km |
| Inclination | 31° | |
| Type of Orbit | Circular | |
| Period | 96 min. | |
| Scientific Instruments | The SUZAKU (ASTRO-EII) carries five soft X-ray telescopes and one hard X-ray telescope. The soft X-ray telescopes consist of five X-ray mirrors XRT and five focal plane detectors, i.e., four XIS detectors and a single XRS detector. The XIS is an X-ray CCD camera which covers an energy range of 0.4-10 keV with a typical energy resolution of 120 eV. The XRS, on the other hand, is an array of X-ray micro-calorimeters which covers an energy range similar to the XIS with a typical energy resolution of 12 eV. The basic concept of the mirrors (XRT) is the same as those of ASCA (Serlemitsos, et al., 1995) except that newly developed replica foils are employed. The mirrors will have a finer imaging capability (about 1 arcminute half-power diameter) and a larger effective area, in total, than those of ASCA. Their diameter will be 40 cm and their focal lengths will be 4.5 m for XRS and 4.75 m for XIS. NASA-GSFC, Nagoya University and ISAS are responsible for the development of the XRT. XRS The prime instrument on SUZAKU (ASTRO-EII), the XRS is a high-resolution X-ray spectrometer to measure the spectra of X-ray sources. The instrument was built by ISAS and NASA, and uses an array of X-ray micro-calorimeters and foil mirrors to achieve an unprecedented combination of high resolution and large collecting area. The XRS is expected to last for 2 years, by which the solid neon that keeps the detectors cold will all have melted. The other instruments on the spacecraft will continue to operate for several years. XIS XIS consists of four CCD X-ray imaging spectrometers, also using foil mirrors, which provide images of X-ray sources. The detectors are being built by Osaka Univ, Kyoto Univ, and MIT. HXD HXD (the hard X-ray detector) is a hard X-ray detector designed to observe high-energy (10-700 keV) X-rays. The HXD utilizes well-type phoswich counters with embedded silicon detectors currently developed by the University of Tokyo and ISAS. The HXD consists of 16 (4 x 4) modular units and has an overall photon collecting area of about 350 cm2. Each unit is a phoswich counter comprising a GSO fast scintillator and an active BGO anticoincidence shield. |
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- The Origin of Mysterious X-ray Emission was Solar Wind! - Suzaku Pinpointed Emission Lines from Solar Wind around Earth (The Forefront of Space Science)
- Physics of Cataclysmic Variable Investigated by X-ray Spectroscopic Observation (The Forefront of Space Science)
- Deciphering Element Synthesis and Star-Formation Histories from High-temperature Gases in Galaxy Clusters (The Forefront of Space Science)