Space VLBI History
A series of pioneering experiments involving NASA Tracking and Data
Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) satellites
(
Levy et al. 1986, Linfield
et al. 1989,
1990)
provided the initial proof of concept for Space
VLBI. These initial tests were successfully followed up by the
Japanese-launched HALCA satellite mission (VLBI Space Observing
Programme; VSOP-1, 1997-2006; see
Hirabayashi et al. 1998). VSOP-1
was an engineering mission from the Japanese MUSES (Mu-Series
Engineering Satellite) program that solved a variety of complex issues
involving ground telescope scheduling, data correlation, and Space
VLBI imaging to create a fully functional observatory that was
ultimately made available to the astronomical community.
Following from the operational success of VSOP-1, a proposed US-led
successor mission called ARISE (Ulvestad 1999--New Astronomy Reviews, 43, 531;
Ulvestad 2000--Advances in Spae Research, 26, 735) was recommended
by the year-2000 Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey committee.
While costs precluded such a mission in the tight fiscal environment
of the last decade, 7 of 9
ARISE science goals can be realized
through the SAMURAI science investigation,
while the other two can be realized through the non-SAMURAI parts of
the VSOP-2 mission.
Last modified on
Wednesday, 14-Jan-2009 10:21:32 MST
Hosted by NRAO on behalf of the US VSOP-2 Science Team.
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