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NASA has approved a new mission for the survey. Ultraviolet light across the sky, which will enable scientists to more deeply investigate how galaxies and stars form.

A superdense neutron star is spewing a blizzard of extremely high-energy particles into an expanding debris field known as the Crab Nebula. A superdense neutron star is spewing a blizzard of extremely high-energy particles into an expanding debris field known as the Crab Nebula.

A superdense neutron star is spewing a blizzard of extremely high-energy particles into an expanding debris field known as the Crab Nebula. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/CXC/Univ. of Aries

The space telescope, called UVEX (Ultraviolet Explorer), is targeted for launch in the 2030s as NASA’s next Astrophysics Medium Class Explorer mission. Anna YQ beassistant professor of astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Srinivas R. KulkarniVisiting Professor of Astronomy (A&S), part of the mission team.

As a co-investigator, Hu’s entire research group will participate in the mission. They will help develop and implement UVEX science.

“Ultraviolet data will enable major advances on many of the science questions that my group is interested in,” Hu said. “I am particularly excited about the prospect of obtaining UV spectroscopy of cosmic explosions in their infancy, which will teach us what stars do in the final stages of their lives.”

Participation in UVEX is the latest chapter in Cornell astronomy’s involvement in major space telescopes, including Spitzer Infrared Telescope as well as The James Webb Space Telescope. According to Hu, UVEX fills an observational need that previous telescopes could not meet, because the type of astronomical information provided by ultraviolet radiation cannot be obtained in any other band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

In addition to performing a highly sensitive all-sky survey, UVEX will be able to quickly pinpoint sources of ultraviolet light in the universe. This will enable it to detect the explosions that occur after the burst of gravitational waves caused by merging neutron stars. The telescope will also have an ultraviolet spectrograph to study starbursts and massive stars.

“NASA’s UVEX will help us better understand the nature of both nearby and distant galaxies, as well as follow dynamic events in our changing universe,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. will do.” “This mission will bring key capabilities in near and far ultraviolet light to our fleet of space telescopes, providing a wealth of survey data that will open new avenues in exploring the mysteries of the universe.”

The UVEX telescope’s ultraviolet survey will complement data from other missions carrying out extensive surveys this decade, including the NASA-led Euclid mission, led by the European Space Agency (ESA), and NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Which is scheduled to be launched by May 2027. Together. , these missions will help create a modern, multi-wavelength map of our universe.

After a detailed review by a panel of scientists and engineers of NASA’s concept proposals for two medium-class explorers and two missions of opportunity, and based on available resources and NASA’s current astrophysics portfolio, NASA made an evaluation. The UVEX Medium Class Explorer concept was then chosen to continue development. . The UVEX mission was selected for a two-year mission and will cost approximately $300 million, not including launch costs.

Source: Cornell University

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