XMM-Newton spacecraft
Artist's conception of the XMM-Newton spacecraft.
XMM-Newton
European Space Agency satellite
XMM-Newton, European Space Agency (ESA) satellite that observes celestial X-ray sources. It was launched in 1999 and was named after English physicist Isaac Newton. XMM-Newton is one of the largest European science satellites. It is 10 metres (33 feet) long, its solar arrays span 16 metres (52 feet), and it weighs 3.8 metric tons. It was launched on December 10, 1999, from Kourou, French Guiana, by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle. The satellite orbits Earth...