Xuntian

Xuntian (Chinese: 巡天; pinyin: Xúntiān),[lower-alpha 1] also known as the Chinese Survey Space Telescope[5][6] (CSST) (Chinese: 巡天号空间望远镜; pinyin: Xúntiānhào Kōngjiān Wàngyuǎnjìng) is a planned Chinese space telescope currently under development.[7] It will feature a 2-meter (6.6 foot) diameter primary mirror and is expected to have a field of view 300–350 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.[8] This will allow the telescope to image up to 40 percent of the sky using its 2.5 gigapixel camera over ten years.

Xuntian
Artist's impression of Xuntian space telescope
Mission typeAstronomy
OperatorCNSA
Mission duration10+ years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Dry mass15,500 kilograms (34,200 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch dateQ4 2024 (planned)[2]
RocketLong March 5B (Y5)
Launch siteWenchang Satellite Launch Center
ContractorCASC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemLow Earth orbit
Main telescope
Diameter2 metres (6.6 ft)
 

Xuntian is scheduled for launch in 2024[2] on a Long March 5B rocket to co-orbit with the Tiangong space station in slightly different orbital phases, which will allow for periodic docking with the station.[9]

See also

Notes
  1. The name "Xuntian" comes from the Chinese translation of Astronomical survey (巡天调查, Xúntiān Diàochá). Xuntian can also literally translated as "surveying the sky"[3] or "survey to heavens".[4]

References
  1. Hu Zhan (2019-11-05). "An Update on the Chinese Space Station Telescope Project" (PDF). National Astronomical Observatories. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  2. Jones, Andrew (28 February 2023). "China to expand its space station, international astronaut selection underway". SpaceNews. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  3. "China Space Station Telescope "Almost Complete"". 2022-07-22.
  4. "China's massive Xuntian Telescope set to beat NASA's Hubble Space Telescope". 2022-07-24.
  5. "Flagship Chinese Space Telescope to Unravel Cosmic Mysteries". Chinese Academy of Sciences. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  6. Hu Zhan (2021-09-22). "The Chinese Survey Space Telescope" (PDF). National Astronomical Observatories. Retrieved 2021-09-22.
  7. Gao, Ming; Zhao, Guangheng; Gu, Yidong (2015). "我国空间站的空间科学与应用任务" [Space Science and Application Mission in China's Space Station]. Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (in Chinese). CAS. 30 (6): 721–732. doi:10.16418/j.issn.1000-3045.2015.06.002. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  8. "Outgunning NASA's Hubble, China Claims Its Xuntian Telescope with 350-Fold Bigger View Can Unravel 'Cosmic Mysteries'". 8 May 2022.
  9. Jones, Andrew (20 April 2021). "China wants to launch its own Hubble-class telescope as part of space station". Space.com. Retrieved 22 April 2021.


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