IAU01265
Presentation type requested: EITHER
THE PLANCK MISSION: SCIENCE OBJECTIVES AND CAPABILITIES
Rene J Laureijs
ESA/RSSD Astrophysics Division
Planck is the third Medium-Sized Mission of ESA's Horizon 2000 Scientific Programme. This satellite is designed to image the anisotropies of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) over the whole sky. The basic scientific goal of the Planck mission is to measure the CMB anisotropies at all angular scales larger than 10 arcminutes or multipoles in excess of 2000, with an accuracy set by astrophysical limits. A secondary goal is to measure the CMB polarisation over the whole sky. Planck will be launched in early 2007 and will operate from the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point. It will make at least two all-sky surveys in 9 frequency channels ranging from 30to 857 GHz. The channels are distributed in two instruments, making use of bolometer arrays and HEMT radio receivers, respectively. An overview of the Planck mission will be presented: scientific objectives, technical design, and current development status. We will compare the expected performance with the present status of the CMB research. The different working groups dealing with the technical (i.e. processing) issues to be overcome and with the preparation and study of other astrophysical topics which can be addressed by Planck, will be mentioned.
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