This week witnessed the launch of the Einstein probe, a space mission meticulously designed to scan the celestial expanse for X-ray bursts, aiming to shed light on enigmatic occurrences associated with black holes and the merging of stars.
Launched aboard a Long March 2C rocket from China, the Einstein probe is a collaborative venture involving the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany, and the European Space Agency, as outlined in a news release from the latter.
On Tuesday at 2:03 a.m. EST (0703 GMT and 3:03 p.m. local time), the launch of the Einstein Probe occurred, propelled into the skies by a Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Presently, the spacecraft is in orbit, completing a circuit around Earth approximately every 96 minutes with an inclination of 29 degrees.
This orbital configuration allows the probe to survey nearly the entire night sky over Earth within the span of three orbits, aligning with its intended mission duration of three years and the potential for an extended mission period.
The spacecraft’s primary objective is to detect X-ray bursts, with the potential to contribute to a more profound understanding of fundamental high-energy phenomena in space.
Such bursts could provide valuable insights into events like supernova explosions, collisions of neutron stars, and the expulsion of matter by black holes following the absorption of magnetic fields, according to statements from the European Space Agency (ESA).
Einstein Probe Detects Celestial X-rays
The Einstein probe employs two instruments to identify bursts of X-ray radiation emitted by celestial phenomena: the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) and the Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT).
The WXT is engineered for comprehensive sky surveys, actively searching for X-ray emissions. Modeled after the compound eyes of lobsters, which feature numerous square pores directing light toward a central circular area, the WXT telescope employs a similar design to capture one-tenth of the entire sky in a single snapshot, as outlined by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Upon detecting an X-ray event, the more sensitive Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) is designed to promptly gather more detailed information.
The Einstein probe is positioned in Earth’s orbit, approximately 600 kilometers (370 miles) above the surface.
The spacecraft is anticipated to observe the entire night sky for X-ray phenomena within the span of just three orbits around Earth, occurring roughly every four and a half hours.