Spacelab 1


artist concept of Spacelab 1


* Mission Overview

The first Spacelab mission, in orbit in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle (STS-9) from 28 November-8 December 1983, carried a multi-disciplinary payload intended to demonstrate that good science could be done on short shuttle flights.

* Instrumentation

An X-ray spectrometer, measuring 2-30 keV photons (although 2-80 keV was possible), was on the pallet. The primary science objective was to study detailed spectral features in cosmic sources and their temporal changes. The instrument was a gas scintillation proportional counter (GSPC) with ~ 180 sq-cm area and energy resolution of 9% at 7 keV. The detector was collimated to a 4.5 deg (FWHM) field of view. There were 512 energy channels.

* Science

Data were accumulated for all intended targets. These included: Cyg X-2, 4U1636-53, Her X-1, Coma, Cyg X-3, Perseus, Cyg X-1, Cas A, Crab, Cen X-3, Cen X-2, and Vela X-1.


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Page authors: Lorella Angelini Jesse Allen
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Last modified: Thursday, 26-Jun-2003 13:48:18 EDT