# Cosmic Background Explorer

> NASA space observatory

**Wikidata**: [Q49445](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q49445)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_Background_Explorer)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmic-background-explorer

## Summary
The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) was a NASA space observatory launched in 1989 to study the cosmic microwave background radiation. It was part of NASA's Explorers Program and operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center.

## Key Facts
- Launched on November 18, 1989, from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2
- Operated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
- Launched aboard a Delta 5000 rocket
- COBE's COSPAR ID was 1989-089A
- Part of the Explorers Program as Explorer 66
- Preceded by Charge Composition Explorer (Explorer 65) and succeeded by Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (Explorer 67)
- Featured instruments including the Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer
- Studied cosmic microwave background radiation as a cosmic microwave background experiment
- Had aliases including COBE, Explorer 66, and Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)
- Operated as a space telescope in outer space

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of the Cosmic Background Explorer?
A: COBE was designed to study the cosmic microwave background radiation, providing crucial data about the early universe and supporting the Big Bang theory.

### Q: When was COBE launched and by what rocket?
A: COBE was launched on November 18, 1989, aboard a Delta 5000 rocket from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2.

### Q: Who operated the Cosmic Background Explorer?
A: COBE was operated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, which was established in 1959 as NASA's first space flight center.

## Why It Matters
The Cosmic Background Explorer represented a landmark achievement in cosmology and observational astronomy. By providing detailed measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation, COBE helped confirm key predictions of the Big Bang theory and revealed tiny temperature fluctuations that would eventually lead to the formation of galaxies and large-scale structures in the universe. The mission's findings earned its principal investigators the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006, underscoring its profound impact on our understanding of the universe's origins and evolution. COBE's success also demonstrated the value of space-based observatories for studying phenomena that cannot be effectively observed from Earth's surface.

## Notable For
- First space observatory to provide detailed measurements of cosmic microwave background radiation
- Confirmed the blackbody nature of the cosmic microwave background
- Discovered temperature fluctuations in the early universe that seeded galaxy formation
- Part of NASA's long-running Explorers Program
- Operated by Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA's first space flight center

## Body
### Mission Overview
COBE was a NASA space observatory launched on November 18, 1989, as part of the Explorers Program. The mission was designed to measure the cosmic microwave background radiation across the entire sky, providing unprecedented insights into the early universe.

### Technical Specifications
The observatory was launched aboard a Delta 5000 rocket from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2. It operated as a space telescope in outer space, equipped with specialized instruments including the Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer to conduct its cosmic microwave background experiments.

### Program Context
COBE was designated as Explorer 66 in NASA's long-running Explorers Program, following the Charge Composition Explorer (Explorer 65) and preceding the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (Explorer 67). The mission was operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center, established in 1959 as NASA's first space flight center.

### Scientific Impact
The mission's measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation provided crucial evidence supporting the Big Bang theory and revealed tiny temperature fluctuations that would eventually lead to the formation of galaxies and large-scale structures in the universe. These findings represented a major advance in cosmology and observational astronomy.

## Schema Markup
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Cosmic Background Explorer",
  "description": "NASA space observatory launched in 1989 to study cosmic microwave background radiation",
  "url": "https://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/product/cobe/",
  "sameAs": [
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## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Jonathan's Space Report