Jan 10 1979
From The Space Library
NASA reported that its first high-energy astronomy observatory, HEAO 1, had exhausted its attitude-control gas supply, ending a 17-month mapping of celestial X-ray sources. Launched August 12, 1977, and designed for a 6-month lifetime, HEAO 1 had returned data of such quality that NASA had extended its mission. Its systems and experiments had functioned well throughout, though the primary mission ended in February 1978. Results included raising the number of X-ray sources from the 350 previously known to nearly 1,500; locating a new black-hole possibility near the constellation Scorpius, bringing the total to four; and discovering a universal hot plasma constituting a major part of the mass of the universe, as well as a dust and gas cloud with a mass probably sufficient to "close" the universe (prevent its perpetual expansion). The results had already engendered more than 160 technical papers and scientific presentations, and analysis of the HEAO 1 data would require years of work by high-energy astrophysicists; the findings might change fundamental concepts of the universe, the NASA report said. HEAO 1 would probably reenter Earth's atmosphere in late March. (NASA Release 79-4; MSFC Release 79-3).
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