description Planck Overview
The Planck mission was a European Space Agency-operated observatory designed to study the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Launched in 2009 and decommissioned in 2013, it provided highly detailed measurements of this afterglow from the Big Bang. This data is invaluable for cosmologists studying the early universe’s composition, geometry, and evolution. Researchers utilizing Planck's results include those investigating dark matter, dark energy, and the formation of large-scale structures.
help Planck FAQ
What was the Planck space observatory's primary scientific mission?
Planck was an ESA mission designed to map the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)—the thermal afterglow of the Big Bang—with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. The data it collected has been fundamental to refining measurements of the age, composition, and geometry of the universe.
When was Planck launched and how long did it operate?
Planck was launched on May 14, 2009, from the Guiana Space Centre aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, alongside the Herschel Space Observatory. It operated from the second Lagrangian point (L2) of the Earth-Sun system and was decommissioned on October 23, 2013.
What key cosmological findings did Planck produce?
Planck refined the estimated age of the universe to approximately 13.8 billion years and strongly supported the standard Lambda-CDM cosmological model. Its data indicated that the universe contains roughly 68% dark energy, 27% dark matter, and only about 5% ordinary (baryonic) matter.
Was Planck the successor to any earlier space observatories?
Yes, Planck was the successor to NASA's WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe), which operated from 2001 to 2010, and before that to NASA's COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) satellite launched in 1989. Together, COBE, WMAP, and Planck represent a progressive improvement in CMB measurement precision that has defined modern cosmology.
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