Einstein Probe

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Einstein Probe
Einstein Probe illustration.png
Einstein Probe artist impression
NamesAiyinsitan Tanzhen
Mission type Space observatory
Operator CAS, ESA
COSPAR ID 2024-007A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 58753
Website ep.bao.ac.cn/ep/
Mission duration3 years (planned)
1 year, 1 month and 20 days (ongoing)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftEinstein Probe
Bus Phoenix-Eye-2
Manufacturer CAS
Launch mass1,450 kg (3,200 lb) [1]
Dimensions3 × 3.4 m (9.8 × 11.2 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date9 January 2024, 07:02 UTC [2]
Rocket Long March 2C [2]
Launch site Xichang LC-3
Contractor CASC
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit
Regime Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude 581 km
Apogee altitude 596 km
Inclination 29°
Period 96 minutes
Instruments
Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT)
Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT)
Einstein Probe logo.png
Einstein Probe Logo

The Einstein Probe (EP) is an X-ray space telescope mission by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in partnership with European Space Agency (ESA) and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) dedicated to time-domain high-energy astrophysics. [3] [1] The primary goals are "to discover high-energy transients and monitor variable objects". [4] The telescope was launched by a Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China, on 9 January 2024, at 07:03 UTC. [5]

Contents

Scientific objectives

The primary science objectives are: [6]

  1. Identify inactive black holes to study how matter is precipitated there by detecting the transient events that take the form of X-ray flares;
  2. Detect the electromagnetic counterpart of events triggering gravitational waves such as the merger of neutron stars which will be discovered by the next generation of gravitational wave detectors;
  3. Carry out permanent monitoring of the entire sky to detect the various transient phenomena and carry out measurements of known variable X-ray sources.

Instruments

Einstein Probe carries 2 scientific instruments: the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT), and the Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT). [7] Both telescopes utilize X-ray focusing optics.

The probe weights 1450 kg and is 3-by-3.4 metres. [1]

Launch

Einstein Probe was launched on 9 January 2024, at 07:03 UTC by a Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China, and successfully placed in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 600 km [2] and an inclination of 29 degrees, giving an orbital period of 96 minutes. [10]

Findings

CAS reported that EP "performs as expected in the first month". [11] The probe detected fast X-ray transient EP240315a, [12] and bright X-ray flares EP240305a [13] and EPW20240219aa. [14]

On 15 March 2024, the Einstein Probe detected EP240315a, a soft X-ray burst from 12.5 billion light-years away, lasting over 17 minutes—the longest duration observed from such an ancient explosion. Linked to gamma-ray burst GRB 240315C, this event showed a six-minute delay between X-rays and gamma rays, never observed before. ESA notes that these findings challenge existing gamma-ray burst models. [15] [16] [17]

The probe observed an X-ray outburst from EP J0052, a rare binary system of a Be star and a white dwarf (BeWD). After this discovery, several other space telescopes observed the system, including NASA’s Swift and NICER, and ESA’s XMM-Newton. XMM-Newton didn't find the outburst 18 days after the EP's observations. [18] [19]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Einstein Probe factsheet". ESA. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Einstein Probe lifts off on a mission to monitor the X-ray sky". www.esa.int.
  3. ↑ "Einstein Probe in a nutshell". www.esa.int. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Einstein Probe Time Domain Astronomical Information Center". ep.bao.ac.cn. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Jones, Andrew (January 9, 2024). "China launches "lobster eye" Einstein Probe to unveil mysteries of X-ray universe". spacenews.com.
  6. ↑ "Science Objectives Overview". Einstein Probe. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "EinsteinProbe". www.mpe.mpg.de. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Einstein Probe Time Domain Astronomical Information Center". ep.bao.ac.cn. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Jones, Andrew (November 25, 2022). "China tests novel 'lobster eye' X-ray telescope for observing cosmic events". Space.com.
  10. ↑ "Technical details for satellite EINSTEIN PROBE". N2YO.com - Real Time Satellite Tracking and Predictions. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  11. ↑ "Time Domain Astronomical Information Center". ep.bao.ac.cn. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Time Domain Astronomical Information Center". ep.bao.ac.cn. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "Time Domain Astronomical Information Center". ep.bao.ac.cn. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Time Domain Astronomical Information Center". ep.bao.ac.cn. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "Einstein Probe detects puzzling cosmic explosion". www.esa.int.
  16. ↑ Liu, Y.; et al. (January 23, 2025). "Soft X-ray prompt emission from the high-redshift gamma-ray burst EP240315a". Nature Astronomy: 1–13. arXiv: 2404.16425 . doi:10.1038/s41550-024-02449-8 – via www.nature.com.
  17. ↑ Ricci, Roberto; Troja, Eleonora; Yang, Yu-Han; Yadav, Muskan; Liu, Yuan; Sun, Hui; Wu, Xuefeng; Gao, He; Zhang, Bing; Yuan, Weimin (2025). "Long-term Radio Monitoring of the Fast X-Ray Transient EP 240315a: Evidence for a Relativistic Jet". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 979 (2): L28. arXiv: 2407.18311 . doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad8b3f .
  18. ↑ "Einstein Probe catches X-ray odd couple". ESA. 2025-02-18. Retrieved 2025-03-01.
  19. ↑ "Einstein Probe Discovery of EP J005245.1−722843: A Rare Be–White Dwarf Binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud?". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 980 (2). American Astronomical Society. 2025-02-18. Retrieved 2025-03-01.

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