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The Hakucho [CORSA-B] Satellite
orsa-B was the first X-ray astronomy Japanese
satellite. Launched on 21 February 1979, it was renamed Hakucho
(Japanese for swan) symbolizing one of the most interesting X-ray
objects, Cyg X-1.
As many other X-ray satellite launched in that period, Hakucho was
designed to study and monitor transient phenomena with particular
emphasis on X-ray bursts. It was still operating when the second
X-ray Japanese satellite Tenma launched in 1983.
Mission Characteristics
 Lifetime : 21
February 1979 - 16 April 1985
Energy Range :
0.1 - 100 keV
Payload :
- Very Soft X-ray (VSX) experiment 0.1-0.2 keV
Four units of proportional counters
each with eff area ~
78 cm2
Two parallel to the spin axis
FOV = 6.3° X 2.9° FWHM
two offset
FOV = 24.9° X 2.9° FWHM
- Soft X-ray (SFX) 1.5-30 keV
Six units of proportional counters
Parallel to the spin axis :
- Two FOV 17.6 deg FWHM; eff area=69 cm2 each
- Two FOV 5.8 deg FWHM; eff area=40&83 cm2
Two offset FOV = 50.3° X 1.7° FWHM
eff area =32 cm2 each
- Hard X-ray (HDX) 10-100 keV scintillator
FOV 4.4° X 10.0° FWHM eff area =45 cm2
Science Highlights:
- Discovery of soft X-ray transient Cen X-4 and Apl X-1
- Discovery of many burst sources
- Long-term monitoring of X-ray pulsar (e.g. Vela X-1)
- Discovery of 2 Hz variability in the Rapid Burster later
named Quasi Period Oscillation.
Archive : No data available at HEASARC
[About Hakucho] (http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/hakucho/hakucho_about.html)
[Gallery] (http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/hakucho/hakucho_images.html)
[Publications] (http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/hakucho/bib/hakucho_biblio.html)
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