immagini da http://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/media-gallery/images/ig_spacecraft Note on copyright: Some images contained in this Media Gallery have come from sources other than ESA (industry, the scientific community, etc), and this is indicated in the Copyright notice. For re-use of non-ESA images please contact the designated authority. Many other images in the Gallery have been released publicly from ESA. You may use ESA images for educational or informational purposes (non-commercial). The publicly released ESA images may be reproduced without fee, on the following conditions: Credit ESA as the source of the images: Examples: Photo: ESA; Photo: ESA/Gaia; Photo: ESA – C. Carreau ESA images may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by ESA or any ESA employee of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that might mislead. If an image includes an identifiable person, using that image for commercial purposes may infringe that person's right of privacy, and separate permission should be obtained from the individual. If ESA images are to be used in advertising or any commercial promotion, layout and copy must be submitted to ESA beforehand for approval. Contact If further information or assistance is needed, please contact us via the Gaia Helpdesk. SPACECRAFT============================================================ Exploded view of Gaia - credits: ESA, ATG medialab Exploded view of Gaia.jpg Gaia - credits: ESA, ATG medialab Exploded view of Gaia.jpg Gaia Artist's Impression - June 2013 ***** Credits: ESA/ATG medialab; background image: ESO/S. Brunier Gaia Artist's Impression.jpg Payload Images ============================================================ Gaia telescopes - The optical path of both telescopes is composed of six reflectors (M1-M6), two of which are common (M5-M6). The entrance pupil of each telescope is 1.45 m x 0.5 m² and the focal length is 35 m. The payload module features a common focal plane shared by both telescopes. ***** 30 June 2010 ***** credits: EADS Astrium Gaia telescopes.png FPA fully integrated - Focal Plane Assembly fully integrated. ***** 4 January 2012 ***** credits: Astrium FPA fully integrated.jpg PLM with integrated mirrors II - Payload Module with all 10 mirrors integrated. ***** 12 January 2012 ***** credits: Astrium PLM with integrated mirrors II.jpg The complete Gaia CCD array (flight model) - This photo, taken at the Astrium France facility in Toulouse, shows the complete set of 106 CCDs that make up Gaia's focal plane. The CCDs are bolted to the CCD support structure (CSS). The CSS (the grey plate underneath the CCDs in this photo) weighs about 20 kg and is made of silicon carbide (SiC), a material that provides remarkable thermal and mechanical stability. The focal plane measures 1 m × 0.5 m. Gaia's CCDs are provided by e2v Technologies of Chelmsford, UK. Each CCD measures 6 cm × 4.7 cm, with a thickness of only a few tens of microns. Precisely fitted together on the CSS, the gap between adjacent CCD packages is about 1 millimetre. From left to right in this photo, distinct areas on the focal plane can be seen: 3 strips of 4 CCDs for the Radial Velocity Spectrometer (RVS), 1 strip of 7 CCDs for the Red Photometer, 1 strip of 7 CCDs for the Blue Photometer, 9 strips of 7 CCDs forming the Astrometric field (except for the middle CCD of the first column (slightly offset toward the Blue Photometer column), which is one of the two wave front sensors), 2 strips of 7 CCDs for the sky mapper, 1 strip with 3 CCDs: two basic angle monitors (top right), and one wave front sensor. credits: Astrium The complete Gaia CCD array (flight model).jpg Service Module Images =============================================== Gaia Service Module with Phased Array Antenna II - The Gaia Service Module with the Phased Array Antenna (PAA) integrated into the Sun-pointing face. The Antenna Support Panel – the silver area surrounding the Radiating Cone – provides the radiating surfaces needed to reject the heat generated by the PAA. The panels surrounding the antenna will be equipped with solar panels to generate power for the spacecraft. ***** 23 April 2012 ***** credits: Airbus DS Gaia Service Module with Phased Array Antenna II.jpg Testing of the Service Module - Testing of the SerVice Module (SVM) in the clean room of Astrium, Toulouse. The two red circles in front are the covers of the apertures of the Autonomous Star TRackers (A-STRs). ***** 27 April 2011 ***** credits: Astrium Testing of the Service Module.jpg Operations Images =========================================================== Deep space antenna at Malargüe - Sunset view of ESA's new 35m deep space station, Malargüe (Argentina), from the ESTRACK team. On Friday, 24 August, 2012, Mars Express became the first mission to downlink telemetry via Malargüe station. It entered formal service in early 2013. ***** 31 October 2012 ***** credits: ESA/S. Marti Deep space antenna at Malargüe.jpg Deep space antenna at New Norcia - ESA's first 35-metre deep-space ground station is situated at New Norcia, 140 kilometres north of Perth in Australia. The 630 tonne antenna has been used to track Rosetta and Mars Express as well as other missions in deep space. The ground station was officially opened on 5 March 2003 by the Premier of Western Australia, Hon Dr Geoff Gallop. ***** 5 March 2003 ***** credits: ESA Deep space antenna at New Norcia.jpg Deep space radio antenna in Cebreros II - 18 November 2010 ***** credits: ESA Deep space radio antenna in Cebreros II.jpg Launch Images ============================================================ Gaia_liftoff.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia_liftoff_15_625.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia_liftoff_18.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia_liftoff_21.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia_liftoff_3.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia_liftoff_6.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia_liftoff_9_625.jpg - credits: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2013 Gaia in cleanroom in KOUROU =============================================== Gaia Kourou 4 - 27 August 2013 ***** credits: ESA-CNES-Arianespace / Optique Vid Gaia Kourou 4.jpg Arrival in French Guiana =================================================== Gaia arrival Kourou 13 - 23 August 2013 ***** credits: ESA-CNES-Arianespace / Optique Vidéo du CSG - P. Piron Gaia arrival Kourou 13.jpg Science Gaia accuracies in the Galaxy and beyond - The background used here is the Lund sky map. This all-sky panoramic image was created under the direction of Knut Lundmark at Lund Observatory in the 1940s. ***** 15 January 2012 ***** credits: ESA, background: Lund Observatory Gaia accuracies in the Galaxy and beyond.jpg Scanning Law - The spacecraft rotation axis makes an angle of 45° with the Sun direction. This represents the optimal point between astrometry requirements - that call for a large angle - and implementation constraints - such as payload shading and solar array efficiency. This scan axis further describes a slow precession motion around the Sun-to-Earth direction, with an average period of 63 days. This allows the scanning law definition to be independent from the orbital position around L2. ***** 16 November 2012 ***** credits: ESA Gaia accuracies in the Galaxy and beyond.jpg LOGO======================================== Gaia logo RGB transparent.png Gaia fairing logo Gaia logo RGB transparent.png