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Suzaku

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description Suzaku Overview

Suzaku was a Japanese space telescope developed for X-ray astronomy by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in collaboration with institutions including NASA. Launched in 2005 as Astro-E2, it carried imaging spectrometers and a hard X-ray detector for studying energetic objects and processes, including black holes, supernova remnants, active galaxies, and galaxy clusters. The observatory operated until 2015, when communication with the spacecraft was lost and the mission ended.

help Suzaku FAQ

What happened to the Suzaku X-ray telescope's cooling system?

Suzaku's primary instrument, the X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS), used a liquid helium cooling system that depleted and failed approximately three weeks after launch in 2005, ending the XRS mission prematurely. The satellite's other instruments, including the Hard X-ray Detector and the X-ray Imaging Spectrometers, continued operating successfully for years afterward.

What was Suzaku's original name before launch?

Suzaku was originally developed as Astro-E and launched in 2000, but that launch failed when the rocket did not reach orbit. The rebuilt satellite was designated Astro-E2 and successfully launched on an M-V rocket in July 2005, after which it was renamed Suzaku.

What did the Suzaku telescope observe?

Suzaku was designed for X-ray astronomy, studying high-energy phenomena such as galaxy clusters, supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, and X-ray binaries. Its hard X-ray detector allowed observations in energy ranges complementary to Chandra and XMM-Newton, particularly useful for studying non-thermal emission processes.

When did Suzaku stop operating?

JAXA announced that communication with Suzaku was lost in 2015 after the satellite experienced persistent power and communication problems. The mission was officially declared over later that year, after roughly a decade of scientific operations.

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