ABRIXAS

{{short description|Space-based German X-ray telescope}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = ABRIXAS

| image =Abrixas.png

| image_caption = Illustration of ABRIXAS in orbit.

| insignia =

| mission_type = X-ray astronomy

| operator = DLR

| website =

| COSPAR_ID = 1999-022A

| SATCAT = 25721

| mission_duration = 3 days (mission failure)

| manufacturer =

| launch_mass = {{convert|550.0|kg}}

| dimensions =

| power =

| launch_date = {{start-date|28 April 1999, 20:30|timezone=yes}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Kosmos-3M

| launch_site = Kapustin Yar 107

| launch_contractor =

| last_contact = {{end-date|1 May 1999}}{{Cite web |title=ABRIXAS |url=https://www.dlr.de/en/rb/research-operation/missions/earth-observation-science/abrixas |access-date=15 July 2024 |publisher=DLR}}

| decay_date = 31 October 2017{{Cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter Dirk |title=ABRIXAS |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/abrixas.htm |access-date=22 November 2022 |publisher=Gunter's Space Page}}

| orbit_epoch = 28 April 1999, 04:30:00 UTC

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Low Earth Orbit

| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|549|km|abbr=on}}

| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|598|km|abbr=on}}

| orbit_inclination = 48.0 degrees

| orbit_semimajor = {{convert|6869.9|km|sp=us}}

| orbit_eccentricity = 0.00352

| orbit_period = 96.00 minutes

| apsis = gee

| telescope_name =

| telescope_type =

| telescope_diameter =

| telescope_focal_length=

| telescope_area =

| telescope_wavelength =

}}

A Broadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey, or ABRIXAS, was a space-based German X-ray telescope. It was launched on 28 April 1999 in a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle from Kapustin Yar, Russia, into Earth orbit. The orbit had a periapsis of {{convert|549.0|km|mi}}, an apoapsis of {{convert|598.0|km|mi}}, an inclination of 48.0° and an eccentricity of 0.00352, giving it a period of 96 minutes.{{cite web | url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1999-022A | title=NASA – NSSD – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details (ABRIXAS) | publisher=NASA | access-date=2008-02-27}}

The telescope's battery was accidentally overcharged and destroyed three days after the mission started. When attempts to communicate with the satellite – while its solar panels were illuminated by sunlight – failed, the $20 million project was abandoned.{{Cite web |last=Wade |first=Mark |title=ABRIXAS |url=http://www.astronautix.com/a/abrixas.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228041343/http://astronautix.com/a/abrixas.html |archive-date=December 28, 2016 |access-date=2008-02-28 |website=astronautix.com}} ABRIXAS decayed from orbit on 31 October 2017.

The eROSITA telescope was based on the design of the ABRIXAS observatory.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2005 |title=Spectrum-RG/eRosita/Lobster mission definition document |url=http://hea.iki.rssi.ru/SXG/PROJECT/SXG-eng.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420002840/http://hea.iki.rssi.ru/SXG/PROJECT/SXG-eng.htm |archive-date=20 April 2024 |publisher=Russian Space Research Institute}} eROSITA was launched on board the Spektr-RG space observatory on 13 July 2019 from Baikonur to be deployed at the second Lagrange point (L2).{{cite web |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/spektr_rg.html |title=Spektr-RG to expand horizons of X-ray astronomy |work=Russian Space Web |first=Anatoly |last=Zak |date=16 April 2016 |access-date=16 September 2016}}

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