Infrared space telescope Spitzer is one of NASA ’s fourGreat Observatoriesand today , January 30 , 2020 , it will channel its last science and engine room data to delegation ascendancy . After more than 16 years in orbit , study everything from nearby planets to some of the most distant sleep with galaxies , Spitzer willbe formally decommissioned .
The Great Observatories program is a series of space observatories – Hubble , Chandra , Compton Gamma Ray , and Spitzer – designed for astronomical study using dissimilar wavelengths : visible , gamma beam , X - ray , and infrared .
Spitzer has no direct successor but the James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) , which should set in motion in the next few age , will act as a hybrid offspring for both Spitzer and Hubble . The many delays that have beset JWST lead the Spitzer mission to be extended for a fifth and last time in 2018 , but now , unfortunately , it ’s showing its geezerhood . Just like your phone , once it could transmit data continuously , but now it takes just 2.5 hours to drain its battery completely , so the determination was made to put out it . It ’s bequest , however , live on .
" Spitzer taught us how important infrared lighter is to empathise our world , both in our own cosmic neighborhood and as far away as the most distant galaxies , " Paul Hertz , theatre director of astrophysics at NASA Headquarters , say in astatement . " The advances we make across many areas in astrophysics in the future tense will be because of Spitzer ’s extraordinary legacy . "
The telescope was establish into quad on August 25 , 2003 , where it was to operate for 2.5 years . Infrared telescopes are equipped with coolant to keep them at dramatically depressed temperatures so they can canvas the heat signature from celestial consistency . The team hoped that they could double over the program duration and Spitzer transcend those expectations . It operate out of coolant 5 years , 8 month , and 19 years after it launch .
While it was trammel without coolant , the mission team was still able to perform incredible science with this tremendous instrument . In its 6,000 days of avail , Spitzer get the largest andmost detailed infrared portrait of the Milky Wayby taking over 800,000 snapshots of it . Spitzer also fall upon thelargest ring of Saturn .
One of its slap-up achievements is also one of the most pregnant discoveries of the last few years : the exoplanets smother theTRAPPIST-1 star . of the seven exoplanets , five of these were discovered with Spitzer data point alone and the other two were confirmed by it . Spitzer was also used tostudy the atmospheresof these distant macrocosm .
Spitzer is the second of the Great Observatories to be decommission . The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory launched in 1991 and deorbited in 2000 . The other two , however , are still going strong . TheChandra X - ray Observatoryis in its third 10 of military operation , and theHubble Space Telescopewill have its thirtieth natal day in orbit on April 24 this year .
