For a more complete list of satellites, see http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~pls/astronomy/spacecraft.html Some of the more important astronomy satellites: N=NASA E=ESA approximate wavelengths: X-ray: 0.1-3 nm (nanometers) UV: 90-300 nm optical: 300-1000 nm near-IR: 1000-2500 nm / 1.0-2.5 microns mid-IR: 2.5-15 microns far-IR: 15-300 microns / 0.015-0.3 mm microwave: 0.3-1 mm Acronym/ Full name years or short name launch wavelength, observing mode, sponsoring agency/country PAST SATELLITES FUSE Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer 1999-2008 UV spectroscopy NASA/France IUE International Ultraviolet Explorer 1979-1997 UV spectroscopy NASA/ESA Hipparcos 1989-1993 (optical) astrometry: distances for 100,000 stars, and positions for 2.5 million ESA IRAS Infrared Astronomical Satellite 1983-1983 mid-far IR imaging NASA COBE Cosmic Background Explorer 1989-1993 cosmic microwave background NASA CURRENT SATELLLITES CXRO Chandra X-ray Observatory 1999-present X-ray imaging/spectroscopy NASA XMM-Newton X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission 1999-present X-ray imaging/spectroscopy ESA GALEX Galaxy Evolution Explorer 2003-present UV imaging NASA/France/South Korea HST Hubble Space Telescope 1990-present UV-optical-near IR imaging/spectroscopy NASA/ESA Spitzer Spitzer Space Infrared Telescope 2003-present near-mid IR imaging/spectroscopy NASA WMAP Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 2001-present cosmic microwave background NASA FUTURE SATELLITES Herschel April 2009 mid to far-IR imaging/spectroscopy ESA Planck April 2009 cosmic microwave background ESA JWST James Webb Space Telescope 2013 near to mid-IR imaging/spectroscopy NASA/ESA