Orbital GALEX User Manual
Galex, Mission description, Facts at a glance
Astrophysics
Mission Description
A NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) mission, GALEX used an ultraviolet telescope to explore the origin and
evolution of galaxies and the origins of stars and heavy elements. Originally scheduled for 28 months in
duration, GALEX was recently decommissioned following ten years of extended operations.
The main objectives of the GALEX program were to:
• Map the history of star formation in the Universe over the redshift range 0 age of the Universe), and answer fundamental questions: (1) What is the star formation and metal production history of galaxies? (2) When and where did the stars and elements we see today have their origins? • Perform the first ultraviolet all-sky imaging survey (1,000,000 galaxies) • Perform the first ultraviolet wide-area spectroscopic surveys (100,000 galaxies) Orbital Sciences Corporation was the prime contractor for the GALEX spacecraft bus, instrument inte- GALEX performed the first ultraviolet GALEX performed the first ultraviolet Mission: NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) program Customer: California Institute of Technology FACTS AT A GLANCE GALEX spacecraft with solar arrays GALEX The Galaxy Evolution Explorer LEO
gration, and the satellite (spacecraft bus and instrument) environmental test campaign, as well as the
ground data system.
all-sky survey covering approximately
1 million galaxies.
wide area spectroscopic surveys
covering approximately 100,000
galaxies.
galactic astronomy
stowed, in Orbital’s Dulles, Virginia satellite
manufacturing facility.