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International Gamma-ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL),was launched on 17 October 2002, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard Proton. INTEGRAL's primary goals include mapping the radioactive remains of exploded stars, detecting matter-antimatter collisions in our Galaxy's core and around black holes and neutron stars, and detecting gamma-ray bursts. INTEGRAL is an ESA mission in cooperation with Russia and the United States. Russia provided a free launch for INTEGRAL in return for observation time. An arrangement between ESA and the Russian Space Agency (RSA) was signed in November 1997 and later approved by the Russian government in September 1999. As part of the arrangement, RSA was responsible for placing the satellite in the desired orbit using Proton while ESA was responsible for delivering a satellite compatible with the launcher. In October 1999 a launcher adaptation contract was signed to ensure proper interfaces of the launcher with the satellite. With a mass of 4,100 kg, INTEGRAL was the heaviest ESA spacecraft launched at that time. INTEGRAL stands 5 meters high and has a diameter of 3.7 meters. Its eccentric 72-hour orbit is inclined 51.6 degrees to the equator, with a perigee of 10,000 kilometers and an apogee of 153,000 kilometers. INTEGRAL is designed to spend most of its time beyond Earth's radiation belts to minimise background radiation effects. INTEGRAL is detecting some of the most energetic radiation that comes from space and was the most sensitive gamma-ray observatory ever launched. INTEGRAL was launched from the same site and month as the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth 45 years earlier. At 22:28 hours Moscow time, on 4 October 1957, the space age began with the launch of Sputnik (Russian for fellow traveller) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Astrium Lampoldshausen Team
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