Editing IRAS (section)

{{Short description|Infrared space observatory}}
{{About|the space telescope||IRAS (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox spaceflight |auto=all
| name                  = Infrared Astronomical Satellite / Infrarood Astronomische Satelliet
| image                 = IRAS_in_JPL_simulator.jpg
| image_caption         = Infrared Astronomical Satellite in space simulator at JPL
| image_size            = 275px

| mission_type          = Infrared [[space observatory]]
| operator              = {{plainlist|
*[[NASA]]
*[[Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes|NIVR]]
*[[Science and Engineering Research Council|SERC]]
}}
| COSPAR_ID             = 1983-004A
| SATCAT                = 13777
| website               = {{URL|http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/Missions/iras.html}}
| mission_duration      = Final: {{time interval|25 January 1983 21:17|21 November 1983|show=ymd|sep=,}}

| manufacturer          = {{plainlist|
*[[Ball Aerospace & Technologies|Ball Aerospace]]
*[[Fokker#Aerospace|Fokker Space]]
*[[Thales Nederland|Hollandse Signaal]]
}}
| launch_mass           = {{convert|1083|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| dry_mass              = 
| dimensions            = {{convert|3.60|xx|3.24|xx|2.05|m|ft|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Beichman|1988|p=II-1}}
| power                 = <!--end-of-life power, in watts-->

| launch_date           = {{start-date|25 January 1983, 21:17}}&nbsp;[[UTC]]<ref name="iras-mission">{{cite web |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/infrared-astronomical-satellite-iras/ |title=Infrared Astronomical Satellite |publisher=[[NASA]] |access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref>
| launch_rocket         = [[Delta 3000|Delta 3910]]
| launch_site           = [[Vandenberg Air Force Base|Vandenberg]] [[Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 2|SLC-2W]]
| entered_service       = 9 February 1983<ref name="Neugebauer1984">{{cite journal |title=The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) mission |journal=Astrophysical Journal |first1=G. |last1=Neugebauer |first2=H. J. |last2=Habing |first3=R. |last3=van Duinen |first4=H. H. |last4=Aumann |first5=B. |last5=Baud |display-authors=etal |volume=278 |pages=L1–L6 |date=March 1984 |doi=10.1086/184209 |bibcode=1984ApJ...278L...1N|hdl=1887/6453 |url=https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/6453/ApJ_278_L1_L6.pdf?sequence=1 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

| disposal_type         = Decommissioned
| deactivated           = {{end-date|21 November 1983}}<ref name="iras-mission" />
| decay_date            = <!--when craft re-entered the atmosphere, not needed if it landed-->

| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Sun-synchronous orbit|Sun-synchronous]]
| orbit_semimajor       = {{convert|7270.69|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_eccentricity    = 0.001857
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|879.05|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|906.05|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_inclination     = 98.95 deg
| orbit_period          = 102.8 min
| orbit_mean_motion     = 14.00 rev/day
| orbit_epoch           = 19 November 2016, 04:15:30&nbsp;[[UTC]]<ref name="heavens-above">{{cite web |url=http://heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=13777 |title=IRAS - Orbit |work=[[Heavens-Above]] |date=19 November 2016 |access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref>
| apsis                 = gee

| telescope_type        = [[Ritchey–Chrétien telescope|Ritchey–Chrétien]]{{sfn|Beichman|1988|p=II-8}}
| telescope_diameter    = {{convert|57|cm|in|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Beichman|1988|p=II-8}}
| telescope_focal_length= {{convert|545|cm|in|abbr=on}}, {{f/|9.56}}{{sfn|Beichman|1988|p=II-8}}
| telescope_area        = {{convert|2019|cm2|sqin|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Beichman|1988|p=II-8}}
| telescope_wavelength  = Long-wavelength to far-[[infrared]]
| instruments_list      = {{Infobox spaceflight/Instruments
  | acronym1 = SA  | name1 = Survey Array
  | acronym2 = LRS | name2 = Low Resolution Spectrometer
  | acronym3 = CPC | name3 = Chopped Photometric Channel
 }}
}}

The '''Infrared Astronomical Satellite''' ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]: ''Infrarood Astronomische Satelliet'') ('''IRAS''') was the first [[space telescope]] to perform a [[astronomical survey|survey]] of the entire [[night sky]] at [[infrared]] [[wavelength]]s.{{sfn|Beichman|1988|p=I-1}} Launched on 25 January 1983,<ref name="iras-mission" /> its mission lasted ten months.<ref name="springer" /> The telescope was a joint project of the United States ([[NASA]]), the Netherlands ([[Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes|NIVR]]), and the United Kingdom ([[Science and Engineering Research Council|SERC]]). Over 250,000 infrared sources were observed at 12, 25, 60, and 100&nbsp;micrometer wavelengths.<ref name="springer" />

Support for the processing and analysis of data from IRAS was contributed from the [[Infrared Processing and Analysis Center]] at the [[California Institute of Technology]]. Currently, the [[Infrared Science Archive]] at IPAC holds the IRAS archive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/project/15 |title=Infrared Astronomical Satellite |work=Infrared Processing and Analysis Center |publisher=[[Caltech]] |access-date=19 November 2016 |archive-date=6 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606065714/http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/project/15 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/Missions/iras.html |title=Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) |work=NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive |publisher=Caltech |access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref>

The success of IRAS led to interest in the 1985 [[STS-51-F|Infrared Telescope]] (IRT) mission on the Space Shuttle, and the planned Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility which eventually transformed into the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, SIRTF, which in turn was developed into the [[Spitzer Space Telescope]], launched in 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/66-Early-History |title=Early History |series=Spitzer Space Telescope |publisher=NASA |access-date=30 November 2016 |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802010257/http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/66-Early-History |url-status=dead }}</ref> The success of early infrared space astronomy led to further missions, such as the [[Infrared Space Observatory]] (1990s) and the [[Hubble Space Telescope]]{{'s}} [[Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer|NICMOS]] instrument.