Astrium-built XMM-Newton telescope reaches 10th year of revealing the universe

One of the most successful European space missions is celebrating its birthday; the Astrium-built XMM-Newton X-ray observatory yesterday reached its 10-year mark in space.

On 10 December 1999, an Ariane 5 rocket launched the research satellite into space. The XMM-Newton super-telescope, almost 11 metres high and weighing just under four tonnes, is the largest research satellite ever built on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). It now ranks among the most successful space observatories ever and is one of Astrium´s masterpieces in scientific missions.

Astrium was the prime contractor for the XMM-Newton satellite, which cost around €230 million, and has led an industry consortium comprised 45 European and one US company.

It has long since completed its contractually agreed service over a minimum of two years, and has now also reached its scheduled deployment period of ten years. Yet due to the overwhelming scientific success and the telescope's excellent condition, the ESA has initially extended the mission up to 2012; from a technical viewpoint the observatory can be operated up to 2018.

But XMM-Newton is not just an outstanding achievement in scientific terms: bearing in mind that it took just 38 months to complete, management of the satellite project and its technological prowess must also be considered exemplary.

XMM-Newton, affectionately nicknamed the 'Black Beauty' by the engineers who built it on account of its black thermal protective film, consists of three mirror systems mounted parallel to each other, enabling X-ray radiation to be concentrated in three focal planes.