Millimetron—a large Russian-European submillimeter space observatory

TLDR

Millimetron is a Russian‑led 12‑m diameter submillimeter and far‑infrared space observatory planned for launch around 2017 under the Russian Federation Space Plan. It will operate in two modes: as a single‑dish telescope achieving 3–12 arc‑second angular resolution and up to one‑million spectral resolution with heterodyne receivers, and as a VLBI element in an elliptical orbit providing baselines beyond 300,000 km for micro‑arc‑second resolution. Its large collecting area and advanced receivers will enable unique science, delivering at least an order‑of‑magnitude improvement over the Herschel Space Observatory.

Abstract

Millimetron is a Russian-led 12 m diameter submillimeter and far-infrared space observatory which is included in the Space Plan of the Russian Federation for launch around 2017. With its large collecting area and state-of-the-art receivers, it will enable unique science and allow at least one order of magnitude improvement with respect to the Herschel Space Observatory. Millimetron will be operated in two basic observing modes: as a single-dish observatory, and as an element of a ground-space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) system. As single-dish, angular resolutions on the order of 3 to 12 arc sec will be achieved and spectral resolutions of up to a million employing heterodyne techniques. As VLBI antenna, the chosen elliptical orbit will provide extremely large VLBI baselines (beyond 300,000 km) resulting in micro-arc second angular resolution.