China launched an astronomical satellite, a Long March-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, the result of nearly 20 years of hard work between Chinese and French scientists, to capture gamma-ray bursts which flicker like fireworks in the farthest reaches of the universe.
“We are looking forward to some important discoveries, such as the earliest gamma-ray bursts that occurred when the universe was still in its childhood, which will help us study cosmic evolution,” said Wei Jianyan, Chinese principal investigator at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ National Astronomical Observatories.
Four scientific instruments are installed on the satellite, two of which have been developed by China and two by France. The four instruments can realize a large field of view and high-precision observation.
Source: Qatar News Agency