Tenma, known as ASTRO-B before launch, was a Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. It was launched on 20 February 1983, using a M-3S rocket on the M-3S-3 mission. It was the second X-ray observatory successfully operated by Japan after Hakucho (CORSA-B),[3][a] and it had a superior temporal and spectral sensitivity compared to its predecessor.[5]
Battery failure in July 1984 caused the operation to become limited, and continuing problems lead to the termination of X-ray observation on 11 November 1985,[6] however it remained in sporadic contact until 17 December 1988.[2] It reentered the atmosphere on 19 January 1989.[b]
Highlights
Discovery of the iron helium-like emission from the galactic ridge.[6]
Iron line discovery and/or study in many LMXRB, HMXRB and AGN.[2]
Discovery of an absorption line at 4 keV in the X1636-536 Burst spectra.
References
Notes
^Tenma was the third Japanese X-ray observatory launched, as CORSA-A was lost in a launch failure in 1976.[4]
^The NORAD catalog considers Tenma’s decay date occurred on 17 December 1988.[7]
Citations
^ abG. D. Krebs. “Astro B (Tenma)”. Gunter’s Space Page. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
