BeppoSAX

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

04:31:01

Tuesday April 30, 1996

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Mission Details

BeppoSAX

Wiki

BeppoSAX was an Italian–Dutch satellite for X-ray astronomy which played a crucial role in resolving the origin of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most energetic events known in the universe. It was the first X-ray mission capable of simultaneously observing targets over more than 3 decades of energy, from 0.1 to 300 kiloelectronvolts (keV) with relatively large area, good (for the time) energy resolution and imaging capabilities (with a spatial resolution of 1 arc minute between 0.1 and 10 keV).

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

1,400 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Atlas I

Active 1990 to 1997

General Dynamics Corporation logo

Manufacturer

General Dynamics

Rocket

Height: 43.9m

Stages

2

Launch Site

SLC-36B

Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Fastest Turnaround

50 days 6 hours

Stats

Atlas I


10th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1996

1996


28th

Orbital launch attempt