Copernicus Satellite X-Ray Observations from 1972-1981

Copernicus satellite X-ray observations from the UCL X-ray Experiment (UCLXE) package. The satellite was launched on August 21, 1972, and operated until 1981, with its main instrument being an ultraviolet telescope and spectrometer. This database provides access to the raw FITS files containing data from the co-aligned X-ray experiments sensitive in the 1-10 keV energy range, as a service from NASA HEASARC.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical X-ray flux from stellar objects based on the 1-10 keV energy range data.
• Studying the temporal evolution of X-ray sources using observations from a defined operational period (1972-1981).
• Developing or testing data processing pipelines for raw FITS file formats from space-based instruments.
• Correlating ultraviolet and X-ray spectral data from the same satellite mission.

Strengths

• Data originates from a defined historical space mission with a known launch date (August 21, 1972) and operational period (until 1981).
• The X-ray experiment had a specified energy sensitivity range (1-10 keV).
• Data is served by an authoritative source, NASA HEASARC.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect temporal bias inherent to the 1970s observation period.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) HEASARC

Collection Method

Observations from the UCL X-ray Experiment (UCLXE) package on board the Copernicus satellite.

Time Range

1972 to 1981

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:55:01.954526; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Space-based observations