Science
NuSTAR
Catalogued as NUSTAR
Hard X-ray Observatory · NASA
Right now
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NuSTAR opened a new window on the universe — high-energy X-rays that no previous telescope could focus into an image. It accomplishes this with a 10-meter focal length telescope that had to be extended by a mast after reaching orbit. NuSTAR has imaged the remnants of exploded stars, mapped the spin rates of black holes, and detected 'zombie' stars — neutron stars that should have stopped spinning but haven't. At just $165 million, it's one of NASA's most cost-effective science missions.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 339–345 mi (546–555 km)
- Inclination
- 6.0°
- One orbit
- 95.5 minutes15.1 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 38358
- Int’l designator
- 2012-031A
- Launched
- 2012
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 23 Sep 2026.
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