Mirror of the Herschel satellite - Herschel spacecraft's mirror - Inspection of the mirror of...

Mirror of the Herschel satellite - Herschel spacecraft's mirror - Inspection of the mirror of the European Herschel satellite. The Herschel Space Observatory, scheduled to launch in 2009, will study in the infrared the formation of galaxies, stars and planetary systems. This satellite measures nearly 7 metres high by 4.3 metres wide and weighs 3.25 tonnes. Its telescope has a 3.5-meter mirror, making it the largest mirror ever made for a scientific space mission. Herschel will orbit around Lagrange 2, approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. The gigantic telescope of ESA's space - based infrared observatory, Herschel, is being prepared to be assembled with its spacecraft. Herschel's telescope, which will carry the largest mirror ever flown in space, has been delivered to ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre, ESTEC, where engineers and scientists are busy with the final steps that will prepare the infrared observatory for launch in 2009. ESA's Herschel Space Observatory will observe at wavelengths never covered before. It will be located 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth, farther than any previous space telescope