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OMC - Optical Monitoring Camera

The OMC observes the optical emission of objects and is dedicated to fine spectroscopy.

Instrument Description

The Optical Monitoring Camera (OMC) is a standard optical refractor enhanced with baffles and covers,
part of the INTEGRAL (International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) Payload.

The Optical Monitoring Camera consists of a passively cooled CCD (2055 x 1056 pixels, imaging area: 1024 x 1024 pixels) which is working in frame transfer mode. The CCD is located in the focal plane of a 50mm (diameter) lens, also including a Johnson V-filter to cover the 500 – 600 nm (CCD: 850 nm) wavelength range. The OMC is mounted close to the top of the INTEGRAL payload
module structure.

OIP, as a subcontractor for Centre Spatial de Liège (CSL, Liège, Belgium), was involved in the design, development, manufacturing and testing of (1) the OMC cover, (2) the OMC baffle, (3) the OMC Optical System and (4) the overall OMC system during phase C/D.

 

Mission

The ESA scientific mission INTEGRAL (The INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) is dedicated to the fine spectroscopy and fine imaging of celestial gamma-ray sources in the energy range 15 keV to 10 MeV with concurrent monitoring in the X-ray (3-35 keV) and optical (V-band) energy range.

  • INTEGRAL is an ESA mission in cooperation with Russia and the United States.
  • INTEGRAL is detecting some of the most energetic radiation that comes from space. It is the most sensitive gamma-ray observatory ever launched.
  • INTEGRAL is providing new insight into the most violent and exotic objects of the Universe, such as black holes, neutron stars, active galactic nuclei and supernovae.
  • INTEGRAL is also helping us to understand processes such as the formation of new chemical elements and mysterious gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic phenomena in the Universe.
  • INTEGRAL also has an optical camera and X-ray detector, energy range 3 to 35 keV, for simultaneous observations across the electro-magnetic spectrum.

INTEGRAL was successfully launched with a Russian PROTON launcher on 17 October 2002 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazachstan.

OIP’s Participation

OIP, as a subcontractor to Centre Spatial de Liège (CSL, Liège, Belgium), was involved in the design, development, manufacture and test of (1) the OMC cover, (2) the OMC baffle, (3) the OMC Optical System and (4) the overall OMC system during phase C/D.

CSL was responsible for the optical and straylight cancellation design, the lens barrel, the baffle manufacturing, the door mechanism and environmental tests. The participation of the Liège University and of the Centre Spatial is supported through a PRODEX contract with the Belgian Science Policy Office.

Status

All subsystems were delivered in time to CSL (B), under a very stringent (aggressive) schedule. The OMC instrument was assembled and tested at CSL.

The instrument was successfully flown and is still fully operational (after several mission extensions). The mission end is scheduled for December 31st, 2018, a decision which is subject to a mid-term review in 2016).

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