Developer - European Space Agency
sci.esa.int/gaia
Gaia on Wikipedia
Developer - European Space Agency
sci.esa.int/gaia
Gaia on Wikipedia
Gaia technology
Published on Nov 6, 2013
Our Galaxy the Milky Way is made up of a hundred billion stars. To truly understand its evolution we need to know exactly where we stand in this mass of constantly moving and changing celestial objects. To do this, astrometry, the science of measuring the position, distance and movement of stars around us, is just about to take a giant leap forward with the launch of ESA's new space telescope, Gaia. Gaia will make it possible to measure a billion stars of our Milky Way.
Inside Gaia's billion-pixel camera
Published on Dec 12, 2013
ESA's Gaia mission will produce an unprecedented 3D map of our Galaxy by mapping, with exquisite precision, the position and motion of a billion stars. The key to this is the billion-pixel camera at the heart of its dual telescope. This animation illustrates how the camera works.
How the Gaia spacecraft will scan the entire sky
Published on Dec 12, 2013
As the Gaia space telescope prepares to launch, find out how a celestial self-portrait of a billion stars is set to revolutionise astronomy
Read more:
"Ultimate selfie: Space megacamera will map Milky Way"
The Gaia space telescope is preparing to launch, promising a celestial self-portrait of a billion stars that will revolutionise astronomy
by Stuart Clark
December 11, 2013
Galaxy's Most Precise 3D Map: Gaia Probe Will Make It
Published on Dec 17, 2013
Using a billion pixel camera and 2 telescopes, the European spacecraft will scan every star at least 70 times during a 5 year period. This will create the most comprehensive guide to the Milky Way to date. Gaia Probe gallery here: Photos:
"Gaia Spacecraft to Map Milky Way Galaxy"
November 15, 2016
Gaia: launch to orbit
Published on Dec 18, 2013
Animation showing Gaia launch and journey to its operating orbit. The animation begins by visualising the launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on a Soyuz-STB/Fregat-MT vehicle. The rocket's four boosters are jettisoned 118 seconds after launch, and the spacecraft fairing is jettisoned after 220 seconds. Following two burns, the Fregat upper stage separates from Gaia 42 minutes after launch. The separation activates an automatic sequence onboard Gaia, including switching on the spacecraft's transmitters, pressurisation of the propulsion system, initial attitude acquisition and deployment of the sunshield. By then Gaia will be on its transfer orbit from Earth towards L2, a virtual point in space some 1.5 million kilometres 'behind' Earth as seen from the Sun. Gaia will take about a month to cruise and manoeuvre into a 'Lissajous' orbit around L2. The size of the orbit is typically 340 000 x 90 000 km and takes 180 days. There, Gaia will spin slowly in order to make systematic repeated observations of stars covering the whole sky with its two telescopes. Over its five-year mission, Gaia will monitor the positions, motions, temperatures, luminosities and compositions of a billion stars.
Credit: ESA--C. Carreau/ATG medialab
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