The X-ray astronomy satellite “ASCA”

ASCA (ASTRO-D), the fourth X-ray astronomy satellite of ISAS, was successfully launched on February 20, 1993. It carries nested thin-foil X-ray mirrors providing a large effective area over a wide energy range up to 12 keV. A set of CCD cameras and imaging gas scintillation proportional counters are placed on the focal plane.ASCA is a high-throughput imaging and spectroscopic X-ray observatory with these instruments.