Eye in the sky
Scientists have high expectations for Chi na’s new space telescope
China Thursday launched a space telescope, the Hard X- ray Modulation Telescope ( HXMT), or Insight, to observe black holes, neutron stars, gamma ray bursts and other celestial phenomena. The result of the painstaking efforts of several generations of Chinese scientists, the telescope is expected to push forward the development of space astronomy in China. “Before its launch, we could only use second- hand observation data from foreign satellites. It was very hard for Chinese astronomers to make important findings without our own instruments,” said Xiong Shaolin, a scientist at the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( CAS). “Now Chinese scientists have created this space telescope with its many unique advantages, and it’s quite possible we will discover new, strange and unexpected phenomena in universe,” Xiong said. Gou Lijun, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the CAS, said China missed opportunities for many discoveries as the approval of Insight and its development and launch was postponed many times.
However, it is the first step for China in the field of X- ray astronomy and learning how to develop and operate a space telescope, Gou said. “Although many advanced X- ray astronomical satellites from other countries are already in orbit, HXMT could still make important discoveries,” said Gou. “The universe is full of surprises.”
Collaboration and competition
Zhang Shuangnan, lead scientist on the HXMT project, said the launch puts China in the vanguard of international X- ray astronomy, along with the dozen other X- ray satellites in orbit. HXMT will both compete and collaborate with other X- ray satellites.
The research and development of China’s first X- ray astronomical satellite laid a good foundation for the development of future X- ray astronomical instruments, Zhang said.
Li Tipei, the CAS academician who first proposed the satellite in the early 1990s, said Chinese scientists could have made many great scientific discoveries if it had been launched within 10 years of first being mooted. Even so, he is confident the satellite can make new findings.
“Our satellite has advantages in detecting transient phenomena and the X- ray explosions of celestial bodies. And its functions have expanded, as its developers added more detectors so it can cover a broader range of energy,” Li said.
Gu Yidong, a CAS academician, said China still lags behind in this field. “We should have a sense of urgency. We will make efforts to upgrade China’s space science to advanced levels within two decades.” Filippo Frontera, a professor of the
University of Ferrara and an associate scienentist of Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics in Bologna, said the satellite will be a useful vehicle for the advancementnt of high- energy gy astrophysics in China.
“The Chinese nese space program am is very impressive. I expect that, with this program, Chi China can b become a leader in space science with great scientific and economic returns. Indeed, foreseen space missions require the development of new high- level technologies that can be later exploited in different fields, like medical physics, information technology, and so on,” said Frontera.
Arvind Parmar, head of the Scientific Support O Office at the Science Directorate of E European Space Agency ( ESA), said H HXMT will study X- rays from objectsob such as black holes, neutron stars and the remains of exploded stars. These are exciting topics fo for scientists all over the world. HMX HMXT will join X- rays satellites alrea already in operation. Each missio mission has its own strengths.
He said the ESA h has a long history of collaborating with China on scientific missions. O Once HXMT is launched and starts making observa vations, ations, there will be great potential fo for or joint investigationsinvestigatio with some ES ESA SA missions. Many scientific inve vestigations estigations benefit f from data from m more than one satell satellite.
Andrea Santange Santangelo, a scientist at the Institute of AstronomyAs and As Astrophysics strophysics of Germ Germany’s Universit sity ty of Tubingen, saidsai HXMT will ha have ave profound impli implications for the de development evelopment of high high- energy as astrophysics strophysics in
China. Being a national program with ith an i internationalt ti l flavor, it will put China among the leading nations in X- ray astrophysics and space science.
“HXMT will focus on the bright sources emitting X- rays. In particular, the mission’s capability of studying a broad band of energies will allow us to study the behavior of very exotic objects in the universe. Thanks to the broadband coverage of HXMT, we will see many aspects of the emission of objects in the X- rays. If one wants to study an elephant, one does not just look at its proboscis or its tail. We want to see and measure the proboscis, the tail and the body,” Santangelo said.
Paolo Giommi, a senior scientist at the Italian Space Agency, said China’s space science program foresees several satellites of increasing complexity and competitiveness. Together with the construction of large ground- based facilities, this will make China one of the major definitive producers of knowledge in space science.