Space Variable Objects Monitor


The Space Variable Objects Monitor is a small X-ray telescope satellite developed by China National Space Administration, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the French Space Agency, launched on 22 June 2024.
SVOM will study the explosions of massive stars by analysing the resulting gamma-ray bursts. The light-weight X-ray mirror for SVOM weighs just. SVOM will add new capabilities to the work of finding gamma-ray bursts currently being done by the multinational satellite Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission. Its anti-solar pointing strategy makes the Earth cross the field of view of its payload every orbit.
WWW Official Site𝕏 SVOM_mission

Objectives

Using synergy between space and ground instruments, the mission has these scientific objectives:
  • Permit the detection of all known types of Gamma-ray bursts
  • Provide fast, reliable GRB positions
  • Measure the broadband spectral shape of the prompt emission
  • Measure the temporal properties of the prompt emission
  • Quickly identify the afterglows of detected GRBs at X-ray and optical wavelengths, including those which are highly redshifted
  • Measure the broadband spectral shape of the early and late afterglow
  • Measure the temporal evolution of the early and late afterglow

Scientific instruments

The selected orbit is circular with an altitude of and an inclination angle of 30° with a precession period of 60 days. The payload is composed of the following four main instruments:
; ECLAIRs
; Gamma-ray Burst Monitor
; Microchannel X-ray Telescope
; Visible Telescope

Ground segment

The ground segment includes a set of three ground-based dedicated instruments – two robotic Ground Follow-up Telescopes and an optical monitor, Ground Wide Angle Camera – which will complement the space borne instruments. A large fraction of GRB will have redshift determinations, an observing strategy optimized to facilitate follow-up observations by large ground-based spectroscopic telescopes.
A key elements of the SVOM mission are the Ground Wide Angle Cameras and the Ground Follow-up Telescopes.
; Ground Wide Angle Cameras
; Ground Follow-up Telescopes