Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Herschel spacecraft being prepared for acoustic tests

Herschel spacecraft being prepared for acoustic tests

author: ESA/A.Le Floc'h/Novapix

reference: e-sou12-20003

Image Size 300 DPI: 24 * 36 cm

A picture of the Herschel spacecraft being prepared for acoustic tests. On 5 and 6 June 2008, the Herschel spacecraft successfully passed its acoustic tests. During the tests, the spacecraft was subjected to acoustic noise, generated to simulate the noise levels during launch, at the European Space Research and Technology Centre’s Large European Acoustic Facility (LEAF). ESA's Herschel Space Observatory will observe at wavelengths never covered before. It will be located 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth, farther than any previous space telescope. Due for launch in 2009, Herschel is one the Cornerstone missions ESA's Horizons 2000 programme. Herschel is a key project space astronomy in the next millennium.

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - 2009 - ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE - ASTRONOMICAL SATELLITE - ASTRONOMY - HERSCHEL - INFRARED - MILLIMETER - SPACE - TEMPERATURE - TEST -