orbital telescopes
Still under development, however changes are made regularly - check back by later.

Since the early years of spaceflight, the advantages of astronomical observing above the Earth's atmosphere were recognized, and led to the introduction of astronomical instruments on spacecraft, i.e., astronomical observatories in space (in most cases, in Earth's orbit). Please note that this list is not complete in specific Solar research satellites, and does not include planetary probes.

Astronomical Satellites Launch Sequence

Our image shows Nasa's High Energy Astronomical Observatory (HEAO) 2 satellite, which was also named Einstein

Ariel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (UK)
The honor of the first astronomical satellite project goes to Great Britain. Ariel 1, launched April 26, 1962, investigated Solar UV and X-radiation, and obtained an energy spectrum of primary cosmic rays. Ariel 2, 3, and 4, launched March 27, 1964 (2), May 5, 1967 (3), and December 11, 1971, respectively, investigated astronomical objects in the radio range. Ariel 5 (launched October 15, 1974) and Ariel 6 (l. June 2, 1979) were devoted to X-ray astronomy.
Images: Ariel 5, Ariel 6
Pages at HEASARC: Ariel 5, Ariel 6
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) 1, 2, B, 3(=C, Copernicus) (Nasa)
Early US astronomical satellites. OAO-1 was successfully launched on April 8, 1966, but its battery failed after 3 days and terminated the mission. OAO-2 was successfully launched on December 7, 1968, carried 11 UV telescopes, and was actively observing for years. It detected a supernova in May 1972, as well as the first UV radiation from the center of the Andromeda Galaxy M31. OAO-B, on November 30, 1970, failed to achieve Earth orbit, and fell into the Atlantic. OAO-C became OAO-3 after its successful launch on August 21, 1972, and was later named Copernicus. It carried an 80-cm UV telescope and successfully carried out its observing program.
OAO-3 Copernicus image; Copernicus page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa); OAO-3 (Copernicus) Archive (GSFC/Nasa)
Radio Astronomy Explorer (RAE) 1 (Explorer 38) and 2 (Explorer 49) (Nasa)
Explorer 38 (RAE-1) was put in Earth orbit and deployed four 230-meter (755 ft) antennae; it discovered that Earth emits radio waves similar to Jupiter. Explorer 49 (RAE-2) was put into Lunar orbit, and investigated solar and galactic radio radiation, using the Moon to "shield" Earth with its radio noise.
Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS) A (=1, Explorer 42, Uhuru), B (=2, Explorer 48), C (=3, Explorer 53) (Nasa)
Explorer 42 (SAS-A) became SAS-1 after its successful launch on December 12, 1970, from the Italian San Marco platform close to the equator near Kenia, in its 520 x 560 km orbit of only 3 degrees inclination; it was the first X-ray satellite, carrying a telescope sensitive for X-ray photons of 2..20 keV energy. It was later renamed Uhuru, and was actively observing until March March, 1973. Explorer 48 (SAS-B, SAS-2) was launched into a similar orbit (440 x 610 km, i = 2 deg) on November 15, 1972, and active until June, 1973; it carried a telescope sensitive for Gamma rays of 20 MeV to 1 GeV energy. Explorer 53 (SAS-C, SAS-3) was finally launched on May 5, 1975, and carried a X-ray telescope.
Images: Uhuru (SAS-1, Explorer 42), SAS-2 (Explorer 48), SAS-3 (Explorer 53)
Pages at HEASARC (GSFC, Nasa): Uhuru (Expoler 42); SAS 2 (Explorer 48); SAS 3 (Explorer 53)
TD-1A (ESA)
Thor Delta satellite 1A. Launched on March 12, 1972, into a 514x533 km orbit of 97.6 deg inclination. Investigated X-rays of 3-30 keV, and with its spark chamber MIMOSA, Gamma rays of 70-300 MeV photon energy. Performed a full-sky UV survey, cataloguing 15,000 stars. TD-1A image; TD-1A page (HEASARC)
ANS-1 (Netherlands)
The Astronomical Netherlands Satellite (ANS) 1 was launched on August 30, 1974, and active until 1976. It carried 3 instruments: 1. an UV telescope spectrometer, 2. SXX (Soft X-ray Experiment) to observe X-rays of 0.6 and 2 to 6 keV, and 3. HXX (Hard X-ray Experiment), sensitive for X-rays of 1.5 to 30 keV. ANS image [270k gif]; ANS page (HEASARC)
Aryabhata (India)
Indian Scientific Satellite, launched April 19, 1975. Measured X-rays from Milky Way and extragalactic regions, besides Solar and ionosphere observations. Aryabhata image; Aryabhata homepage (HEASARC)
COS-B (ESA)
X- and Gamma-ray satellite observatory, launched August 9, 1975. Active until April 6, 1982. COS-B image [60k gif]; COS-B homepage ; COS-B page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa)
High Energy Astronomical Observatory 1, 2 (Einstein), 3 (Nasa)
These three satellites were used to investigate the sky in the X-ray and Gamma ray sky. HEAO 1 was launched aboard Atlas Centaur on August 12, 1977, and operational through January 9, 1979. It scanned the whole X-ray sky at quantum energies 0.2 keV to 10 MeV and made many pointed observations. HEAO 2 was launched on November 13, 1978 nad operational until April 25, 1981 (with one longer interuption). It made over 5,000 targetted observations, and was named Einstein. HEAO 3 was launched on September 20, 1979, carried Gamma ray telescopes, and was active until it finally ceased operation on May 29, 1981.
Images: HEAO-1 image [214k gif], HEAO-2 image [182k gif], HEAO-3 image [38k gif]
Homepages: HEAO-1 (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa), HEAO-2 (HEASARC), ADS Einstein Archive Service (Harvard); HEAO-3 (HEASARC)
IUE (ESA, Nasa, UK)
Launched January 26, 1978, by a Thor-Delta from Cape Kennedy. 45-cm UV telescope. Working for over 18 years; shut down and destroyed from healthy state on September 30, 1996, 18:42 UT, because of funding reasons.
IUE image [51k gif]; IUE homepage (GSFC/Nasa); IUE homepage (ESA/Villafranca, Spain); IUE page at APOD (Astronomical picture of the day), IUE shutdown page
Hakucho (Japan)
Known as CORSA-b before launch on February 21, 1979; X-ray satellite. Active until April 15, 1985. Hakucho image [81k gif], Hakucho homepage (HEASARC)
P78-1 (Nasa)
Launched February 24, 1979. Shot down in USAF anti-satellite weapons test on September 13, 1985. P78-1 image; P78-1 homepage (HEASARC)
Tenma (Japan)
Known as Astro B prior to its launch on February 20, 1981. X-ray satellite. Active until late 1984. Tenma image [57k gif]; Tenma homepage (HEASARC)
IRAS (Nasa, Netherlands)
Infra Red Astronomical Satellite. Launched January 26, 1983, by a Delta 3910 from the Western Space Missile Range (WSMR), Vandenberg, California. IRAS image; IRAS homepage (IPAC, Caltech), IRAS stuff from the NSSDC database
Astron-1 (USSR)
80-cm UV telescope, launched March 23, 1983 with a Proton (D-1-e) rocket. Active until July, 1989. Astron image [51k gif] (diagram); Astron page (HEASARC)
Exosat (ESA)
European X-ray Observatory Satellite. Launched May 26, 1983, by a Delta 3914 from Vandenberg, CA (WSMR). Operational to April, 1986. Exosat image [19k gif]; Exosat data center (ESTEC); Exosat page (HEASARC)
Ginga (Japan)
Known as Astro-C prior to launch on February 5, 1987. X-ray satellite. Active until November 1, 1991. Ginga image [467k gif]; Ginga homepage (ISAS), Ginga homepage (HEASARC)
Hipparcos
Astrometrical satellite for measuring high precision parallaxes. Launched in August 8, 1989 by an Ariane rocket. Although launched successfully, the spacecraft didn't achieve its desied high orbit. Nevertheless, it was highly successful and measured 118,000 star positions at 0.001 arc seconds acuracy, plus some 1,050,000 positions at 0.025 arc seconds, in two color band ("B" and "V"), so that also over 1 million color indices were obtained.
Hipparcos image [29k jpg], Hipparcos homepage (ESTEC)
COsmic Background Explorer (COBE)
Cobe was launched in 1989 and measured the cosmological microwave background radiation. The most significant result was the discovery of very small fluctuations (order 0.0001, 10^{-5}) in the background.
COBE image [364 k gif], caption, Cobe Project homepage (GSFC/Nasa)
Granat (USSR)
Launched December 1, 1989, by a Proton. Gamma ray satellite. Granat image; Granat homepage (HEASARC)
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO)
Launched on April 5, 1990 by the Space Shuttle mission STS-37, Atlantis F-8. Carries instruments to investigate Gamma photons of energy 30 keV to 30 GeV.
GRO image [48k gif]; Compton GRO homepage (GSFC/Nasa)
Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (Nasa, ESA)
Formerly called the "Large Space Telescope (LST)" and simply the "Space Telescope (ST)". Launched on April 24, 1990 by the Space Shuttle mission STS-31 (Discovery F-10) with an improperly designed optics, this spacecraft carries the largest telescope ever launched to orbit, with a 2.4-meter aperture primary mirror. When the design error was detected, a computer program was involved to get the images better, but the telescope became usable to its full capabilities only after the HST refurbishment Shuttle mission, STS-61 (Endeavour F-5, HST Service Mission 1), in December 1993. Since, it has delivered a bunch of premium scientific results and gorgeous images of all kinds of celestial objects.

A second service mission is currently scheduled for early 1997 with the Shuttle flight STS-82 (Discovery), a third one for 1999.
Images: HST image (art)
Webpages: Hubble Space Telescope homepage (STScI); Latest results; HST image archive at SEDS (HTML access); Messier Object observations by the HST

Rosat
The Roentgen Satellite (Rosat) carries a 83-cm X-ray telescope of 2.4 meter focal lenght, for observing X-ray photons of 0.1 to 2.0 keV energy. It was launched on June 1, 1990, by a Delta II rocket.
Rosat image [59k gif]; Rosat homepage at the MPE Garching; Rosat image collection at HEASARC
Gamma (USSR)
launched July 11, 1990 with a SL-4 Soyuz rocket. Gamma ray astronomy. Gamma image; Gamma homepage (HEASARC)
SARA
Launched on 1991 July 17 from Kourou by Ariane 40, for the French Highschool of Engeneers in Electrotechnics and Electronics, ESIEE. Radio astronomy satellite.
EUVE
Extreme UltraViolet Explorer. Successfully launched on June 2, 1992, with a Delta II rocket.
EUVE image [17k jpg]; EUVE CEA homepage; Published EUVE images
Eureca (ESA)
European Retrievable Carrier. This reusable satellite carried Watch, the Wide-Angle Telescope for Cosmic Hard X-rays (of 6-150 keV energy). It was deployed into space by Shuttle Space Atlantis (launched July 31, 1992) in August 1992, and retrieved and brought back to Earth by Endeavour on July 1, 1993, nearly a year later. Eureca image; Eureca homepage (HEASARC)
ASCA, Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics, Asuka (Japan)
Formerly Astro-D. X-ray telescopes, launched February 20, 1993. ASCA image; ASCA page (HEASARC, GSFC/Nasa), ASCA homapage (ISAS/Japan)
Alexis (DoE, USA; operated by LANL)
Array of Low Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors. Launched on April 25, 1993, by an USAF Pegasus booster, dropped from plane. Built and controlled from LANL. Alexis image [33k jpg], another view [29k gif]. Alexis homepage, 2nd homepage
GGS-Wind
Launched November 1, 1994. Carried TGRS (Transient Gamma Ray Spectrometer). GGS-Wind image [257k gif]; GGS-WIND homepage (HEASARC)
IRTS/SFU (Japan)
Infrared Telescope Satellite/Space Flyer Unit. Launched March 18, 1995 by H-II. IRTS homepage
Surfsat
Student-built radio astronomical satellite, launched 1995 November 4 as co-payload on a Delta II rocket
ISO, Infrared Space Observatory (ESA)
Launched successfully with Ariane 44P from Kourou on November 17, 1995. ISO image; ISO homepage (ESTEC), ISO images; ISO homepage at IPAC/Caltech, ISO gallery
Rossi X-rays Timing Explorer
Launched by a Delta II rocket in December, 1995, the Rossi X-ray Time Explorer (RXTE, formerly XTE) is to observe X-ray photons of 2-200 keV energy, with its 3 instruments:

XTE image [79k gif]; XTE homepage (HEASARC); First XTE results (SMC X-1 Black Hole candidate)

MSX
Midcourse Space Experiment. Launched by Delta II on April 24, 1996. Carried IR instruments sensitive for radiation of 4.2 to 26 microns (micrometers) wavelength. MSX homepage (Navy Research Lab); MSX homepage (IPAC, Caltech); MSX Celestial Background page; MSX Celestial Background team
SAX (Italy)
Later (nick-) named BeppoSAX. Launched by Atlas Centaur on April 30, 1996, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. X-ray satellite. SAX homepage, another SAX page; SAX page at ESTEC
HALCA, VSOP, Muses-B (Japan)
Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy, VLBI Space Observatory Program. Radioastronomical satellite, carrying an 8-meter antenna to allow VLBI. Successfully Launched on February 12, 1997. Muses-B project info page at ISAS; Muses-B homepage; VSOP homepage; VSOP page at JPL
Minisat 1 (Spain)
carries the Low Energy Gamma-Ray Imager (LEGRI). Successfully launched on April 21, 1997. Minisat image, Legri Observatory image, Legri pattern image; Minisat homepage, LEGRI homepage (GSFC), Legri homepage (Univ. Valencia)
SWAS
Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite. Scheduled to investigate water, molecular oxygene, CO, and atomic C emissions from interstellar clouds. Launched on December 5, 1998 by Pegasus XL/L-1011. In Nasa's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. SWAS homepage (GSFC), SWAS Research Homepage (Harvard)
ARGOS
Advanced Research and Global Observations Satellite, carrying the Unconventional Stellar Aspect (USA) experiment, launched February 23, 1999 with a Delta rocket. Argos USA image
WIRE
Wide Field Infrared Explorer. Launched on March 4, 1999 with Pegasus, but failed because of an electronic failure which lead to destroying the cooling system for the IR camera. Some optical astronomy is done with its 5-cm optical guidance telescope, notably stellar seismology. In Nasa's Small Explorer (SMEX) Program. WIRE homepage (IPAC/Caltech)
ABRIXAS (Germany)
"A Broad-Band Imaging All-Sky Survey". X-ray satellite. Launched flawlessly on April 28, 1999 with Cosmos-3M, but failed during second day in orbit because of power supply failure.
FUSE
Far UV Spectroscopic Explorer. To be launched in late 1998. FUSE image [19k gif]; FUSE homepage
Chandra X-ray Observatory
Developed as Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). This 5,200 kg satellite is a 11.2 meter long, 4.2 meter diameter observatory, and should observe cosmic X-ray sources, during a scheduled active lifetime of 5 years. Successfully launched on July 23, 1999 by Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).
AXAF image [93k gif], caption; AXAF info from Harvard

Future projects:

RadioAstron (Russia)
Radio astronomy satellite, to be launched in late 1997 to 1998. RadioAstron page at JPL
SXG (Nasa/Russia)
Spectrum-X-Gamma. Scheduled for launch in late 1998. SXG image [55k gif]; SXG homepage
XMM (ESA)
High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy mission; to be launched 1999. XMM image [73k gif]; XMM homepage (ESA)
Spectrum UV
Spectroscopic UV satellite. Spectrum UV image; Spectrum UV homepage (AI Potsdam)
Astro-E (Japan)
Scheduled for launch in 2000, this craft is to carry a complex X-ray observatory, equipped with 4 foiled telescopes with imaging spectrometers, 1 foiled telescope with micro-calorimeter, and one hard X-ray detector.
Astro-E image [22k gif]; Astro E homepage (ISAS), Astro E page (HEASARC)
MAP
Microwave Anisotropy Probe. To measure inhomogenities in the Cosmic Background Radiation at improved angular resolution compared to Cobe. Selected 1995 as a Nasa MIDEX class mission. MAP homepage
FIRST (Esa)
Far IR and Submillimeter Space Telescope; to observe objects in the 85 to 900 micron part of the spectrum. To be launched together with Planck on Ariane 5. FIRST image; FIRST homepage (ESA)
Planck, COBRAS/SAMBA (ESA)
Cosmic Background Radiation Anisotropy Satellite/Satellite for Measurement of Background Anisotropy. To be launched together with FIRST on Ariane 5. COBRAS/SAMBA homepage (ESA)
Integral (ESA, Russia, Nasa)
International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory. This scheduled satellite is to observe X- and Gamma-ray sources 15 keV to 10 MeV at a resolution of 12 arc minutes. This ESA craft is to be launched with a Russian Proton, tentatively scheduled for 2001, and to use Nasa's Deep Space Network of ground stations. Integral image; Integral homepage (ESA)
SIRTF (JPL/Nasa)
Space Infrared Telescope Facility. Tentatively scheduled for launch in 2002. SIRTF homepage (JPL)
IRIS (Japan)
Infrared Imaging Surveyor. To be launched by M_V rocket in 2002. IRIS homepage (ISAS)
GAIA (ESA)
Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics. Astrometrical satellite, intended to improve the accuracy and extend the Hipparcos survey. Scheduled for beyond 2000. GAIA homepage
Darwin (ESA)
Space Infrared Interferometer project. Space-based search for extrasolar planets. Scheduled for beyond 2000. Darwin homepage
NGST
New Generation Space Telescope. NGST homepage (GSFC, Nasa); NGST info (Cambridge/UK)
SIM
Space Interferometer Mission. SIM homepage (JPL/Nasa)
ExNPS
Exploration of Nearby Planetary Systems. ExNPS techinfo (JPL, Nasa)

NGST, SIM and ExNPS are parts of Nasa's Origins Program. Another Origins Program page.

Kepler
Proposition for space-based search for extrasolar planets, scheduled for beyond 2000. Kepler Homepage
ARISE
Radio astronomy/VLBI satellite project proposition for beyond 2000. ARISE homepage

Space Observatories Flewn on Human Space Missions

These telescopes were flewn on crewed missions and usually taken back to Earth when the mission landed.

Apollo 15
had an UV telescope on its flight in July/August 1971, equipped with a Gamma ray spectrometer, sensitive for Gamma photons of 0.55 .. 8.6 MeV energy. Apollo 15/16 high-energy astronomy page (HEASARC)
Apollo 16
had an UV telesope onboard similar to that of Apollo 15, during its flight in April, 1972. Apollo 15/16 high-energy astronomy page (HEASARC)
Skylab
had the Apollo Telescope Mount, an X-ray telescope primarily used for Solar observation. It was mounted on the Skylab Space Station (launched unmanned in May 1973) and continued its mission for years after the third and last manned mission. It ceased to exist when Skylab crashed down in 1979.
Skylab images: [41k gif], Skylab image [336k gif]. Skylab astronomy page (HEASARC); Skylab ATM image analysis homepage
Apollo ASTP
carried instruments to observe X-rays of 0.6-10 keV energy. Observed objects were the SNR MSH 14-63, and the pulsar SMC X-1 in the Small Magellanic Cloud. ASTP X-ray astronomy page (HEASARC)
Kvant (USSR)
was launched on March 31, 1987, and coupled to space station Mir on April 9 of that year. It was claimed to be an "Astrophysical Module". Kvant page (HEASARC)
Astro-1 Space Shuttle Mission (STS-35)
Carried several telescopes:

UIT Images from the Astro-1 mission; UIT homepage. BBXRT homepage; BBXRT mission and BBXRT homepage at HEASARC. HUT homepage. WUPPE homepage.

Orfeus-SPAS, Astro-SPAS Space Shuttle Mission (STS-51)
The first astronomical mission of the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS), which had been previously flown with other payloads on STS-7 (Challenger, SPAS-01), STS-41B (Challenger, SPAS-01A) and STS-39 (SPAS-II).
Christa-SPAS-01, Astro SPAS Space Shuttle Mission (STS-66)
 
Astro-2 Space Shuttle Mission (STS-67)
Telescopes:

UIT Images from the Astro-2 mission; UIT homepage HUT homepage. WUPPE homepage.

Orpheus-SPAS, Astro-SPAS II Space Shuttle Mission (STS-80)
Orfeus 2 homepage
Christa-SPAS-2, Astro SPAS Space Shuttle Mission (STS-85)
Currently scheduled to be flown in July, 1997, with Discovery orbiter
 

Links:

* the GRB mystery had led NASA, in 1978, to select the the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) as one of four instruments aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (launched in 1991)a1.
-- BATSE wins as "best supporting actor" by showing that bursts are perhaps the most violent explosions we can observe in the universe.
-- More than 3,200 professional papers have been written about bursts, says Dr. Kevin Hurley of the University of California at Berkeley
-- papers are being published at the rate of 1.3 per day, faster than bursts are recorded.
-- Breaking with NASA tradition, the name Swift isn't an acronym.
-- It describes how quickly the spacecraft is designed to swing around and put an array of telescopes on target and capture bursts before they fade.

* Swift will carry three instruments
-- the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT)
-- an X-Ray Telescope (XRT)
-- an Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT).

* "We know that long bursts are associated with faint galaxies at least halfway to the edge of the known universe," Gehrels said.
-- "But what we don't know is, what are the physical origins of bursts? What are their progenitors [the stars that become bursts] and what is the physics that goes on inside?"
-- Swift's three instruments will help answer those questions.

* first, BAT will detect the onset of a gamma-ray burst.
-- Unlike BATSE, which has eight modules that view the entire sky (other than what the Earth blocks), BAT will view a smaller fraction of the sky.
-- It will comprise a special kind of pinhole camera called a coded aperture mask placed in front of a large solid-state detector.
-- This will let BAT calculate a burst's location to within a few arc-minutes (a fraction of the Moon's apparent diameter and much finer than BATSE can do).
-- The UVOT, derived from the optical telescope that Europe's X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission satellite (XMM) will carry, has a 30 cm (12 in.) primary mirror, equivalent to a 4-meter (13.2 ft) telescope on the ground, Gehrels said.
-- It will have a 17 arc-minute field of view (slightly more than half the apparent diameter of the Moon) and sensitivity from 170 nm (ultraviolet) down to 650 nm (deep red).
-- Using the two telescopes, scientists should be able to locate bursts to within 0.3 arc-seconds, and to tell whether the burst has an optical transient that should be the target of follow-up observations by larger observatories in orbit or on Earth.

* Swift will map the sky at high x-ray energies.
-- This hasn't been done since the first High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO-1), which orbited during 1977-79.
-- BAT will be 50 times more sensitive that HEAO-1's Hard X-Ray/Low Energy Gamma Ray Experiment
-- find new targets for the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM.
-- in line after this is the Next Generation Gamma-Ray Burst Observatory.
-- "Swift serves as a pathfinder" for the next-generation instrument, Fishman said. "We won't firm up plans until it makes its observations" since those could change the requirements.
-- The design is so distant for now that the next-generation telescope might comprise several spacecraft operating together, and almost certainly will operate interactively with advanced missions like the Gamma-Ray Large Space telescope (GLAST) planned for launch in 2005
-- would also be used in concert with major observatories on Earth and in orbit.
-- "This mission is seen primarily as a NASA facility," Fishman continued, "designed by the entire NASA community and used by the science community.
-- Although NASA would play a lead role, it is expected to have international support."
-- Fishman said scientists are also looking at a new operational model that would involve the National Science Foundation as a full partner rather than having the observatory operated and funded primarily by and for NASA.
-- NSF operates many of the United States' ground-based observatories.
-- "Since the science is something of interest to both agencies" - ground-based observatories often seek optical counterparts for bursts - "it should be funded by both agencies," Fishman said.
-- Chasing those locations will be Super LOTIS, built from an old 60 cm (24-in) reflector telescope provided by the Lick Observatory.
-- Super LOTIS - the Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System built by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - has been in tests since "first light" on Feb. 25, 1999.
-- In addition to looking at night for optical afterglows of gamma-ray bursts, it is programmed to record burst triggers that happen during the day and then try to locate their afterglows at night.
-- Super LOTIS is scheduled to be relocated from Lawrence Livermore to the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona where observing conditions are better.

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