eROSITA Picture Gallery

Figure 1: Back in 2012 the telescope support structure (equipped mainly with dummy mirror modules and cameras) was ready for a first series of tests. Here you see a preliminary inspection. The PI Peter Predehl holds the ladder! (MPE)

Figure 2: At the IABG test facility, near Munich, the entire telescope (about 800 kilos of it) was brought into horizontal position to measure its mass and moment of inertia.(MPE)

Figure 3: At the heart of the eROSITA telescope are seven mirror modules and seven pnCCD cameras, which inherited the technological developments of XMM-Newton. Here you see a mirror module (fabricated at Media Lario in Italy) and a full camera assembly (MPE).

Figure 4: In June 2015, during an 'Open Day' at MPE, we showed the real eROSITA flight hardware to the public's amazement (Credit: P. Friedrich, MPE)

Figure 5: More than 1.6km of cables had to be arranged in the focal plane of eROSITA, for the nine electronic boxes (7 cameras and 2 controllers). We built a 1-1 wooden model of the telescope for accurate modelling of the harnesses. (Credit: MPE)

Figure 6: In spring 2016, the flight model of the telescope was finally integrated, one mirror module and one camera assembly at the time. (Credit: MPE)

Figure 7: A picture of the eROSITA focal plane, with the 7 golden electronic boxes, which operate the seven pnCCD cameras.(Credit: MPE)

Figure 7: A picture of the eROSITA focal plane, with the 7 golden electronic boxes, which operate the seven pnCCD cameras.(Credit: MPE)

Figure 8: Before the final packaging of the telescope in its carbon fiber structure (with cover), we also took these pictures of the completely integrated mirrors and detectors.(Credit: MPE)

Figure 8: Before the final packaging of the telescope in its carbon fiber structure (with cover), we also took these pictures of the completely integrated mirrors and detectors.(Credit: MPE)

Figure 9: It was a hot summer day in July 2016 when eROSITA left MPE for its long journey. First stop was the MPE PANTER X-ray test facility in the south of Munich for a series of functional tests.

Figure 9: It was a hot summer day in July 2016 when eROSITA left MPE for its long journey. First stop was the MPE PANTER X-ray test facility in the south of Munich for a series of functional tests.

Figure 10:This is the picture of the “functional” first light taken at PANTER. Under space-like conditions, all seven eROSITA cameras were switched one and illuminated by their calibration sources.

Figure 10:This is the picture of the “functional” first light taken at PANTER. Under space-like conditions, all seven eROSITA cameras were switched one and illuminated by their calibration sources.

Figure 11: In December 2016 we were back at IABG for the final space qualification test campaign for eROSITA.(Credit MPE)

Figure 12: Just like highly trained surgeons, working with precision tools on the exposed 'belly' of the eROSITA telescope. (Credit MPE)

Figure 13: On December 23, 2016, the packed eROSITA is ready to be sent to Russia.

Figure 13: On December 23, 2016, the packed eROSITA is ready to be sent to Russia.

Figure 14: Finally, in January 2017 the fully integrated eROSITA telescope was shipped via cargo plane to Moscow. There it was cold, the roads covered in snow, and the truck a little bit older than we expected!

Figure 14: Finally, in January 2017 the fully integrated eROSITA telescope was shipped via cargo plane to Moscow. There it was cold, the roads covered in snow, and the truck a little bit older than we expected!

Figure 15: eROSITA made it safely to the integration hall of NPOL Lavochkin, its new home for the following 2 years (credit NPOL).

Figure 15: eROSITA made it safely to the integration hall of NPOL Lavochkin, its new home for the following 2 years (credit NPOL).

Figure 16: The SRG satellite begins to take shape. In this photo of 2018, for the first time eROSITA and its sister telescope ART-XC (developed by IKI, the Space Science Institute of the Russian Academy of Science) are mounted together on the support.(Credit NPOL)

Figure 16: The SRG satellite begins to take shape. In this photo of 2018, for the first time eROSITA and its sister telescope ART-XC (developed by IKI, the Space Science Institute of the Russian Academy of Science) are mounted together on the support.(Credit NPOL)

Figure 17: The completed #SpektrRG is ready to go. First to the steppe of Baikonur. (Credit Roscosmos).

Figure 17: The completed #SpektrRG is ready to go. First to the steppe of Baikonur. (Credit Roscosmos).

Figure 19: In the previous three pictures, the transport of the Proton rocket to the launch-pad in Baikonur. Credit: Roscosmos.

eROSITA Picture Gallery

Presskit

Presskit for the eROSITA First All-Sky Survey