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| HITOMI (ASTRO-H) | |
|---|---|
| Name | HITOMI (ASTRO-H) |
| Mission type | X-ray astronomy satellite |
| Operator | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency |
| Launch date | 2016-02-17 |
| Launch vehicle | H-IIA |
| Launch site | Tanegashima Space Center |
| Status | Lost after anomaly |
HITOMI (ASTRO-H) was a Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite developed to observe high-energy phenomena in the Universe, intended to carry advanced spectroscopy and imaging instruments. Built by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in collaboration with international partners including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, and institutions from United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, it aimed to study black holes, galaxy clusters, supernova remnants, and the solar corona. The mission combined technologies from prior observatories such as Suzaku, Chandra X-ray Observatory, XMM-Newton, and concepts tested on Hitomi testbeds.
The project was conceived as ASTRO-H within JAXA's astrophysics program, evolving from proposals influenced by results from ASCA, ROSAT, Ginga, and the heritage of hardware from Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. Designed to operate in low Earth orbit after launch on an H-IIA rocket from Tanegashima Space Center, the spacecraft embodied collaborations among institutions like Riken, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and university groups such as Stanford University, University of Tokyo, and University of California, Berkeley.
ASTRO-H's mission concept integrated high-resolution spectroscopy and hard X-ray imaging to address questions arising from observations by Chandra, XMM-Newton, and Suzaku. The spacecraft's science goals were defined by panels including representatives from American Astronomical Society, International Astronomical Union, and national agencies like JAXA and NASA. Planned observations targeted sources studied in programs such as Event Horizon Telescope precursor studies, follow-ups to Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detections, and multiwavelength campaigns with telescopes like Very Large Telescope, ALMA, and Hubble Space Telescope.
The observatory carried a suite of instruments: the Soft X-ray Spectrometer developed with contributions from NASA, Riken, and SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research; the Soft X-ray Imager influenced by XIS technology from Suzaku teams; the Hard X-ray Imager leveraging designs from INTEGRAL and NuSTAR consortia; and the Soft Gamma-ray Detector with heritage from Suzaku HXD and collaborations with CERN-linked groups. Key hardware components were supplied by manufacturers and labs including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, ISAS, JAXA's Sagamihara Campus, and university laboratories at University of Wisconsin–Madison, Columbia University, and Kyoto University. The cryogenic system for the calorimeter spectrometer built on cryostat developments from NASA Goddard and cooling techniques used in missions like Planck.
ASTRO-H aimed to measure plasma velocities in galaxy clusters relevant to results from Planck Sunyaev–Zel'dovich studies, investigate feedback from active galactic nuclei similarly studied by Sloan Digital Sky Survey teams, and resolve line emission in supernova remnants following up on discoveries from Keck Observatory and Gemini Observatory. During its brief operational life, the observatory obtained high-resolution spectra of the Perseus Cluster, complementing observations by Chandra and XMM-Newton and informing models used by researchers at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, and Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. Results influenced theoretical work at groups including Princeton University, Caltech, and MIT on intracluster medium turbulence and chemical enrichment traced back to progenitors studied in surveys such as Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
Launched on 17 February 2016 aboard an H-IIA vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center, ASTRO-H entered low Earth orbit but suffered a catastrophic anomaly days later. The spacecraft experienced an attitude control and communication failure that led to breakup and loss, prompting investigations by JAXA, with assistance from agencies including NASA, ESA, and national laboratories such as JAXA's Sagamihara Center and ISAS. The mishap drew parallels in investigative procedures to incidents involving ROSAT and influenced policy discussions at forums like Committee on Space Research and national review boards convened in Japan and abroad.
Despite its short life, the mission returned a limited but valuable dataset, particularly from the Soft X-ray Spectrometer. Data were analyzed by teams at Riken, NASA Goddard, SRON, University of Tokyo, and University of Geneva, and results were shared at conferences including American Astronomical Society meetings and workshops at International Astronomical Union symposia. The hardware, software, and lessons learned influenced subsequent mission planning at JAXA, design choices for projects such as XRISM and proposals to NASA and ESA, and informed calibration efforts at institutions like European Space Research and Technology Centre and National Institute of Standards and Technology. Publications by groups at University of California, Kyoto University, and Max Planck Institute integrated the observations into broader studies of galaxy cluster dynamics, supernova nucleosynthesis, and black hole accretion physics.
ASTRO-H exemplified multinational cooperation involving agencies and institutions: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA, European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and research centers such as Riken, SRON, ISAS, NASA Goddard, Max Planck Society, and universities worldwide. Management structures combined JAXA program offices with international science working groups drawn from American Astronomical Society, International Astronomical Union, and national funding agencies including Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan), National Science Foundation, and European Commission research frameworks. The mission's collaborative model influenced later joint projects like XRISM and ongoing partnerships between Japanese and international astrophysics communities.
Category:Artificial satellites launched in 2016