ABRIXAS

ABRIXAS ( short for. A Broadband Imaging X -ray All- Sky Survey ) was a space telescope with which to map the whole sky should be carried out in X-rays at energies of 0.5-15 keV.

The small satellite ABRIXAS had been developed by several German research institutes, to complement the successful sky survey in the soft X-ray light by ROSAT to higher energies. With improved detector technology and a better angular resolution and spectral resolution than ROSAT should be achieved. The satellite was built by the Bremen company OHB-System. The satellite should explore six years the sky.

ABRIXAS was launched on 28 April 1999 with a Russian Kosmos- 3M rocket from the launch site Kapustin Yar. Shortly after the start came via a design flaw the main battery from overheating, because the starter battery was overcharged. After failed attempts yet to contact the scientific mission of ABRIXAS was officially declared on 1 July 1999 for failure.

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