# SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory

> cancelled NASA space telescope

**Wikidata**: [Q224960](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q224960)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Interferometry_Mission)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sim-lite-astrometric-observatory

## Summary
The SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory was a cancelled NASA space telescope designed to measure star positions with unprecedented precision using interferometry techniques. It was also known as the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) or SIM PlanetQuest.

## Key Facts
- It was classified as both a space telescope and a cancelled project
- Its official name was SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory
- It had an aperture of 0.5 meters
- Its length was 6 meters
- It was manufactured by Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems
- It was operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- It was designed to be placed in a heliocentric orbit
- It had aliases including Space Interferometry Mission, SIM, SIM PlanetQuest, and Japanese names
- Its NAIF ID was -190
- It had a Freebase ID of /m/02r3z6

## FAQs
### Q: What was the main purpose of the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory?
A: The SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory was designed to measure star positions with unprecedented precision using interferometry techniques, which would help in detecting exoplanets and improving understanding of the Milky Way galaxy's structure.

### Q: Why was the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory cancelled?
A: The provided source material does not specify why the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory was cancelled, though it is classified as "cancelled" in the structured properties.

### Q: When was the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory planned for launch?
A: The provided source material does not include information about the planned launch date.

### Q: How did the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory work?
A: The SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory was designed to use interferometry techniques to measure star positions with extremely high precision, though the specific technical details of its operation are not provided in the source material.

### Q: What other names was the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory known by?
A: It was also known as Space Interferometry Mission, SIM, SIM PlanetQuest, 宇宙干渉計ミッション, and 宇宙干渉法ミッション in Japanese.

## Why It Matters
The SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory represented a significant advancement in space-based astrometry, aiming to measure star positions with unprecedented precision that would have revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way galaxy's structure. Its planned detection of Earth-like exoplanets would have advanced the search for potentially habitable worlds beyond our solar system. Despite its cancellation, the technologies and methodologies developed for the project likely contributed to subsequent space-based astronomical missions and continue to influence the field of precision astrometry.

## Notable For
- It was designed to achieve unprecedented precision in measuring star positions using space-based interferometry
- Its planned mission would have contributed significantly to the detection of Earth-like exoplanets
- It represented a collaboration between NASA and Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems
- It was one of the few major NASA astrometry missions to be cancelled after significant development
- Its specifications included a 0.5-meter aperture and 6-meter length, which would have made it one of the most precise space telescopes for astrometry

## Body
### Overview
The SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory, also known as the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) or SIM PlanetQuest, was a cancelled NASA space telescope project. It was classified as both a space telescope and a cancelled project in the structured properties.

### Technical Specifications
- Aperture: 0.5 meters
- Length: 6 meters
- Planned orbit: Heliocentric
- Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems
- Operator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

### Identifiers
- NAIF ID: -190
- Freebase ID: /m/02r3z6
- Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued): 2781163934
- Wikimedia Commons category: Space Interferometry Mission
- Wikipedia title: Space Interferometry Mission
- Sitelink count: 18
- Commons gallery: Space Interferometry Mission

### Alternative Names
- Space Interferometry Mission
- SIM
- SIM PlanetQuest
- 宇宙干渉計ミッション (Japanese)
- 宇宙干渉法ミッション (Japanese)

### Online Presence
- Official website: https://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/SIM/index.cfm (archived)
- Alternative website: https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/sim-lite/

### International Recognition
- The project had Wikipedia articles in multiple languages: Arabic (ar), Catalan (ca), German (de), English (en), French (fr), Hungarian (hu), Indonesian (id), Italian (it), and Luxembourgish (lb)
- The project's main category on Wikipedia is "Category:Space Interferometry Mission"

## References

1. [Source](https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/sim-lite/)
2. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20100613160105/https://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/SIM/quickFacts/)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Source](https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/C/req/naif_ids.html)