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About the HEASARC: HEASARC Overview: What is the HEASARC? > The HEASARC Charter

What is the HEASARC?

XMM-Newton The HEASARC is a multi-mission astronomy archive for the EUV, X-ray, and Gamma ray wave bands. Because EUV, X and Gamma rays cannot reach the Earth's surface it is necessary to place the telescopes and sensors on spacecraft. The HEASARC now holds the data from 25 observatories covering over 30 years of X-ray, extreme-ultraviolet and gamma-ray astronomy. Data and software from many of the older missions were restored by the HEASARC staff. Examples of these archived missions include ASCA, BeppoSAX, Chandra, Compton GRO, HEAO 1, Einstein Observatory (HEAO 2), EUVE, EXOSAT, HETE-2, INTEGRAL, ROSAT, Rossi XTE, Suzaku, Swift, and XMM-Newton. Chandra The HEASARC scientists are recognized in their own right as world-class researchers. They provide the essential ingredient to the HEASARC's success by using the archival data for their own research.

The HEASARC on-line service is an archive and database system accessible through the networks that provides rapid access Browse logo to the entire HEASARC data holding either directly via ftp, or using the Browse and SkyView interfaces to search the HEASARC catalogs and access the data. The analysis tools to work on these data (typically running under various unix systems) are also provided via the networks. A High Energy Astrophysics Learning Center provides education and outreach activities.

XTE The HEASARC is very active in promoting data format standards and has promoted the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) as a standard for all level of data. As part of this effort, the FITSIO library of software has been developed to handle FITS files to be written, read, and manipulated.

The HEASARC develops multi-mission analysis tools that facilitate the comparison and analysis of high level data in the archive (e.g. spectral analysis). The HEASARC will be providing access to new missions that are approved for launch over the coming few years, such as GLAST (2007).