Launched 17 Oct 2002

The objective -

to get a a new insight into the most violent and exotic objects of the Universe, such as black holes, neutron stars, active galactic nuclei and supernovae.

to understand processes such as the formation of new chemical elements and the mysterious gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic phenomena in the Universe.

Mission Basics-

With INTEGRAL astronomers are gaining a new understanding of objects and processes that emit the most powerful electromagnetic radiation. The gamma-rays detected by INTEGRAL are a million times more energetic than visible light. The shorter the wavelength, the higher is the energy of the radiation. Red light has a wavelength of 700 nanometres (0.000 000 7 metres), violet light of 400 nanometres. INTEGRAL studies radiation with a wavelength from 0.2 to only 0.0008 nanometres.

Mission Cost-

€330 million at 2000 economic conditions (excluding launch and payload)

End of Mission extended until 2008