Editing Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (section)

{{Short description|NASA satellite of the Explorer program}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name              = Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
| names_list        = Explorer 69<br/>RXTE<br/>XTE
| image             = Rxte.jpg
| image_caption     = Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer satellite
| image_alt         = RXTE 3D Model
| image_size        = 300px

| mission_type      = [[Space observatory|Astronomy]]
| operator          = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID         = 1995-074A
| SATCAT            = 23757
| website           = [http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/xte_1st.html RXTE home page]
| mission_duration  = 16 years (achieved)

| spacecraft        = Explorer LXVIX
| spacecraft_type   = Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
| spacecraft_bus    = X-ray Timing Explorer
| manufacturer      = [[Goddard Space Flight Center]]
| launch_mass       = {{cvt|3200|kg}}
| dimensions        = 
| power             = 800 [[watt]]s

| launch_date       = 30 December 1995, 13:48:00 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
| launch_rocket     = [[Delta II|Delta II 7920-10]] (Delta 230)
| launch_site       = [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station|Cape Canaveral]], [[Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17|SLC-17A]]
| launch_contractor = [[McDonnell Douglas|McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company]]

| entered_service   = 30 December 1995
| last_contact      = 
| deactivated       = 12 January 2012
| decay_date        = 30 April 2018 <ref>{{cite web |title=NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Leaves Scientific "Treasure Trove" |date=May 2018 |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/nasas-rossi-x-ray-timing-explorer-leaves-scientific-treasure-trove |publisher=NASA |access-date=3 May 2018}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

| orbit_reference   = [[Geocentric orbit]]<ref name="Trajectory">{{cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1995-074A |title=Trajectory: X-Ray Timing Explorer (1995-074A) Explorer 69 |publisher=NASA |date=28 October 2021 |access-date=28 November 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
| orbit_regime      = [[Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis   = {{cvt|409|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis    = {{cvt|409|km}}
| orbit_inclination = 28.50°
| orbit_period      = 92.60 minutes
| apsis             = gee

| instruments       = {{aligned table|fullwidth=y|style=text-align: left; font-size: 100%;
   |'''ASM'''  | All Sky Monitor (ASM)
   |'''HEXTE'''| High-Energy X-ray Timing Experiment (HEXTE)
   |'''PCA'''  | Proportional Counter Array (PCA)
  }}

| programme         = [[Explorer program]]
| previous_mission  = [[Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer]] (Explorer 68)
| next_mission      = [[Fast Auroral SnapshoT Explorer]] (Explorer 70)
}}

The '''Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer''' ('''RXTE''') was a [[NASA]] satellite that observed the time variation of astronomical X-ray sources, named after physicist [[Bruno Rossi]]. The RXTE had three instruments — an All-Sky Monitor, the High-Energy X-ray Timing Experiment (HEXTE) and the Proportional Counter Array. The RXTE observed X-rays from [[black holes]], [[neutron stars]], [[X-ray pulsars]] and [[X-ray bursts]]. It was funded as part of the [[Explorer program]] and was also called '''Explorer 69'''.

RXTE had a mass of {{cvt|3200|kg}} and was launched from [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] on 30 December 1995, at 13:48:00 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]], on a [[Delta II]] [[launch vehicle]]. Its [[International Designator]] is 1995-074A.<ref name="Display">{{cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1995-074A |title=Display: X-Ray Timing Explorer (1995-074A) Explorer 69 |publisher=NASA |date=28 October 2021 |access-date=28 November 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>