China plans to launch a new X-ray satellite called Einstein Probe later this year to observe the first beams of light from explosions in distant galaxies. The satellite is expected to capture the first beam of light from a supernova explosion, help search for and identify the source of gravitational waves, and contribute to the discovery of farther and dimmer celestial bodies and transient phenomena in the universe.
At a national symposium on space exploration, Yuan Weimin, chief scientist of the Einstein Probe satellite, stated that the satellite project development is in its final stages. It was also announced that the newest "lobster eye" telescope will be installed on the satellite to detect X-ray events more deeply and broadly than was possible in the past.
What is Einstein Probe Satellite?
The lobster eye-inspired technology allows scientists to observe various X-ray sources over a long period of time and better understand how they are transformed. Lobster eye telescope technology has been in development since 2010. The technology, successfully tested, helped send back the first large-area X-ray maps of the sky in 2022.