BackForward Satellite Programme: X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission Observatory - Newton 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Single satellite programme for Astronomy and Space weather.
  • Part of the European Space Agency's Horizon 2000 program; ESA responsible of development and operations.
  • The platform is actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time of the satellite was 2 years, extended to 2018.
  • The satellite exploits a Highly-elliptical Earth Orbit.
  • See detailed description at https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/v-w-x-y-z/xmm-newton#sensors.
Data circulation
  • Command and data acquisition at the ground stations of Perth (Australia), Kourou (French Guiana), Villafranca (Spain) and Santiago (Chile).
  • Science data processed at the XMM-Newton Survey Science Center at the University of Leicester, England.
  • Processed data centralised in the SOC (Science Operations Center) at Villafranca, for distribution.
Agencies ESA
Programme lifetime 1999 - 2026
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned