Japan recognized Hitomi companion lost forever

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA has officially announced the final failure of the X-ray telescope Hitomi, recently launched into orbit. April 28 attempts to return it to the system were discontinued.

Director of JAXA units involved in the launching of the satellite, Saku Tsuneto [Saku Tsuneta], announced: "We have concluded, the satellite is in a state do not imply the restoration of its functions. I am deeply sorry for the termination of the operation. " He also said he regretted the unfulfilled dream of astronomers to study deep space and black holes, which had to deal with the marked satellite.



The official release version of the system is to separate the satellite solar panels, which were to provide expensive equipment energy from the device.

The director said that the cost of the project, including the satellite and its launch, amounted to about 31 billion yen ($ 273 million dollars).

Cosmic X-ray telescope ASTRO-H, renamed observatory Hitomi ( «eye»), was launched into space 17 February 2016. Start has been made successfully, the device is released into the target orbit, and scientists have begun to prepare observations. The observatory carried on board several telescopes to observe the sky in different ranges of X-rays.

February 27 system almost got to the bank operation, but a month later the Japanese have reported that communication with the satellite is lost. The next day, the US military system for monitoring space debris determined that on-site Hitomi in an orbit moves five pieces. Probably, the satellite has broken up due to structural defects or due to a collision with space debris.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/275092/