ULTRASAT
ULTRASAT is a near-ultraviolet imaging satellite with a wide field of view (204 square degrees). It will provide high cadence observations and rapid target-of-opportunity response, providing a powerful capability for time-domain and multimessenger astrophysics (TDAMM), and will have scientific applications from solar system studies to cosmology.
With a field of view 200 times greater than the NASA's GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) mission, ULTRASAT will conduct unprecedented surveys for variability in the ultraviolet sky. This will enable exciting new discoveries in fields such as gravitational waves, supernovae, and exoplanet habitability.
This satellite is being developed by the Israel Space Agency (ISA). NASA has entered into an implementing arrangement to provide launch services and share in the scientific results. The PhysCos/COR program at GSFC is managing the science planning activities and coordinating subject matter expert review.
NASA’s roles in ULTRASAT include arranging the launch of ULTRASAT to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO); providing a US-based archive for ULTRASAT data; selecting US investigators to participate in ULTRASAT’s science working groups; and participating in ULTRASAT alerts for transient astronomical sources.
The NASA arranged launch is currently planned through Kennedy Space Center's Launch Service Program. Launch is anticipated in 2027. The prime mission will last 3 years, and the spacecraft hardware is designed to last longer (6 years).
Additional information on the mission is available from web pages at the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Ultraviolet Mission Comparison
| Mission | UV Instrument Aperture Diameter | Bandpass in the UV region | Point Spread Function | Detector | Field of View | Launch Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ULTRASAT Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite | 0.33 m | 230-290 nm | 8.3 arcseconds | CMOS | 204 degrees2 | 2026 (planned) |
| GALEX Galaxy Evolution Explorer | 0.5 m | 170-280 nm 135-175 nm | 5.5 arcseconds | MCP | 1.13 degrees2 | Launched April 28, 2003 (Decommissioned June 28, 2013) |
| UVEX The Ultraviolet Explorer | 0.75 m | 139-190 nm and 203-270 nm | 2.25 arcseconds | CMOS | 12.25 degrees2 | 2028 (pending downselect) |
| STAR-X Survey and Time-domain Astrophysical Research eXplorer | 0.3 m | 160-200 nm and 250-300nm | 4.0 arcseconds | MCP | 1.0 degrees2 | 2028 (pending downselect) |
| Swift The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory | 0.3 m | 100-400 nm | 2.5 arcseconds | CCD | 0.08 degrees2 | Launched November 20, 2004 |
| AstroSat | 0.38 m | 130-300 nm and 320-530 nm | 1 arcsecond | CCD | 0.25 degrees2 | Launched September 28, 2015 |
| SPARCS Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat | 0.09 m | 258-308 nm and 151-171 nm | 7.81 arcseconds | CCD | 0.445 degrees2 | 2025 |
| CASTOR Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and ultraviolet Research | 1 m | 150-300 nm | 0.15 arcseconds | CMOS | 0.25 degrees2 | Late 2020s (planned) |
| HST Hubble Space Telescope | 2.4 m | 250-290 nm | 0.05 arcseconds | WFC3 Camera | 0.002 degrees2 | Launched April 24, 1990 |
| HWO Habitable Worlds Observatory | 6 m, tentative | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2040s |
| CUTE Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experimen | 0.2 m x 0.085 m | 251 nm-333 nm spectroscopy | N/A | CCD | (Slit spectroscopy) | Launched September 27, 2021 |
| EUVE Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer | 0.4 m | 7-76 nm | 25-200 arcseconds | MCP | 5.38 degrees2 | Launched June 7, 1992 (Decommissioned January 2001 ) |
Timeline
Scroll timeline horizontally
ULTRASAT
Find out more about ULTRASAT at the official site at the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Go to website