Dark Matter Particle Explorer
| Mission type | High-energy Astronomy |
|---|---|
| Operator | CAS |
| COSPAR ID | 2015-078A[1] |
| SATCAT № | 41173 |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 17 December 2015 00:12 UTC |
| Rocket | Long March 2D, No. 2D-Y31[2] |
| Launch site | Jiuquan Launch Area 4, Launch Pad 603 |
| Contractor | SAST |
The Dark Matter Particle Explorer, or DAMPE, is a CAS satellite which was launched on 17 December 2015 at 00:12 UTC.[3] The satellite was launched on a Long March 2D rocket from Launch Pad 603 at the LC-43 complex, also known as the South Launch Site, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.[3]
DAMPE is a space telescope used for the detection of high energy gamma rays, electrons and cosmic rays, to aid in the search for dark matter.[3][4] The project is the result of a collaboration among universities in Italy, Switzerland, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.[5]
It is nicknamed Wukong (Chinese: 悟空) after the Monkey King, who is the hero in the classic Chinese tale, "Journey to the West". Literally, "wu"(悟) means comprehension or understanding and "kong"（空）means void, so its name could also be understood as "understand the void", relates to the undiscovered dark matter.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ "DAMPE (Wukong)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ↑ "CZ-2D (2) (Chang Zheng-2D (2))". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 Barbosa, Rui C. (16 December 2015). "Chinese Long March 2D lofts DAMPE – A Dark Matter Investigator". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ↑ Nowakowski, Tomasz (2 June 2015). "China to launch its first dark matter probe by the end of 2015". Spaceflight Insider. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ↑ Dickinson, David (18 December 2015). "China Launches Dark Matter Probe". Sky & Telescope.
- ↑ "China's new Monkey King set for journey into space". Xinhua. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
External links
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