Paris (AFP) February 2, 2000 - A new European X-ray telescope designed to scrutinise powerful forces in the depths of the universe has taken "spectacular" images in its first trial, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Wednesday.Commissioning pictures taken by the XMM spacecraft show that its instruments "are functioning perfectly, to the great satisfaction of all involved," a statement said.
The "spectacular first images" will be displayed at a press conference in Madrid next Wednesday, it added.
Ten years in the making, the 689-million-dollar orbital observatory was sent aloft last December 10 by ESA's new Ariane-5 rocket.
It comprises three long tubes of 58 sets of precision-honed concentric mirrors, designed to make it the most sensitive instrument ever built to pick up cosmic X-ray emissions.
X-ray sources can come from some of the most violent and intriguing phenomena in the universe, such as black holes -- collapsed stars whose gravitational pull is so strong that light is gobbled up -- and "vampire stars" which suck up matter out of their neighbours.
SPACE SCIENCE
XMM Ready For Final Commissioning
Paris - January 11, 2000 - All of XMM's instruments have been switched ON and their computer software loaded on board. The first task has been to check the health of the instruments repeating the engineering test procedure used on the ground before launch.
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