# Spitzer Space Telescope

> decommissioned NASA infrared space observatory

**Wikidata**: [Q201953](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q201953)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitzer_Space_Telescope)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/spitzer-space-telescope

## Summary  
The Spitzer Space Telescope was a NASA infrared space observatory launched in 2003 and decommissioned in 2020. As part of NASA’s Great Observatories program, it specialized in capturing infrared light from celestial objects, enabling groundbreaking discoveries about star formation, exoplanets, and distant galaxies.

## Key Facts  
- Launched on August 25, 2003, aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17B.  
- Decommissioned on January 30, 2020, after more than 16 years of operation.  
- Part of NASA’s Great Observatories program (the fourth mission).  
- Mass at launch: 950 kg; dry mass: 884 kg; telescope mass: 851.5 kg.  
- Aperture: 0.85 meters; focal length: 10.2 meters.  
- Operated in a heliocentric orbit with a period of approximately 373 days.  
- Named after astronomer Lyman Spitzer, who pioneered the concept of space-based telescopes.  
- Managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory and operated by the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center.  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the Spitzer Space Telescope used for?  
A: The Spitzer Space Telescope observed the universe in infrared light, revealing hidden cosmic phenomena such as star-forming regions, exoplanets, and distant galaxies obscured by dust.  

### Q: When was the Spitzer Space Telescope launched and retired?  
A: It was launched on August 25, 2003, and officially decommissioned on January 30, 2020.  

### Q: Who operated the Spitzer Space Telescope?  
A: The telescope was managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and operated by the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech.  

## Why It Matters  
The Spitzer Space Telescope revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos by detecting infrared radiation—light invisible to human eyes—from celestial bodies across vast distances. Its ability to peer through interstellar dust clouds allowed scientists to study stellar nurseries, planetary systems beyond our solar system, and some of the earliest galaxies formed after the Big Bang. Spitzer contributed over 8,000 scientific papers and played a key role in discovering seven Earth-sized planets around TRAPPIST-1—an achievement that reshaped the search for potentially habitable worlds. Even after its coolant ran out in 2009, extending its operational life into a “warm mission,” Spitzer continued delivering valuable astronomical data until its retirement.

## Notable For  
- Being one of four missions in NASA’s prestigious Great Observatories program.  
- Discovering the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system with seven Earth-sized exoplanets.  
- Providing unprecedented views of star birth and galactic cores obscured by cosmic dust.  
- Operating nearly 17 years beyond its planned 2.5-year cryogenic mission lifespan.  
- First telescope to directly detect light from an exoplanet’s atmosphere.  

## Body  
### Mission Overview  
The Spitzer Space Telescope, originally known as the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), was designed to observe the universe in the infrared spectrum. It was renamed post-launch in honor of physicist and astronomer Lyman Spitzer, who advocated for placing telescopes above Earth’s atmosphere.

### Technical Specifications  
- **Launch Date**: August 25, 2003  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Delta II (D300 configuration)  
- **Launch Site**: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17B  
- **Mass**:
  - Launch Weight: 950 kg
  - Dry Weight: 884 kg
  - Telescope Mass: 851.5 kg
- **Dimensions**:
  - Length: 4.45 meters
  - Diameter: 2.1 meters
- **Aperture**: 0.85 meters
- **Focal Length**: 10.2 meters
- **Power Source**: Photovoltaic system generating ~400 W

### Orbit and Operations  
- **Orbital Type**: Heliocentric orbit  
- **Orbital Period**: ~373.12 days  
- **Epoch Reference**: January 29, 2020  
- **Semi-Major Axis**: 1.0143 AU  
- **Eccentricity**: 0.011323  
- **Inclination**: 1.1338°  
- **Periapsis**: 1.0028 AU  
- **Apoapsis**: 1.0258 AU  

### Operational Phases  
- **Service Entry**: December 18, 2003  
- **Coolant Depletion**: May 15, 2009 – marked transition to "warm mission" phase  
- **Decommissioning**: January 30, 2020  

### Scientific Contributions  
- Over 8,000 peer-reviewed publications based on Spitzer data  
- Direct detection of exoplanet atmospheres  
- Mapping of molecular clouds where stars form  
- Discovery of the TRAPPIST-1 system  
- Imaging of early galaxies dating back billions of years  

### Management and Partnerships  
- **Manufacturer(s)**:
  - Lockheed Martin Space (General Contractor)
  - Ball Aerospace & Technologies (Subcontractor)
  - Goddard Space Flight Center (Subcontractor)
- **Operator(s)**:
  - Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) – spacecraft operations and project management
  - Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) – data processing and archival storage

## Schema Markup  
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Spitzer Space Telescope",
  "description": "Decommissioned NASA infrared space observatory.",
  "url": "https://www.nasa.gov/spitzer",
  "sameAs": [
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## References

1. [Source](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/sirtflaunch.pdf)
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. Jonathan's Space Report
4. [Source](https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi?find_body=1&body_group=mb&sstr=-79)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [Source](https://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/ssc2003-05-nasa-announces-new-name-for-space-infrared-telescope-facility)
7. [Source](https://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/ssc2020-08-nasas-spitzer-space-telescope-ends-mission-of-astronomical-discovery)
8. [Source](https://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/ssc2009-12-nasas-spitzer-begins-warm-mission)
9. [Source](https://www.space.com/spitzer-space-telescope-mission-ends.html)
10. [Source](https://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/mission/fast-facts)
11. [Source](https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/C/req/naif_ids.html)
12. Quora
13. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)