Spitzer Technology

Russ Underwood, Lockheed Martin Space Systems

The Spitzer Space Telescope is a technological marvel featuring many innovations never before used on a space mission. The Observatory is comprised of two major components: the Cryogenic Telescope Assembly (which contains the telescope and Spitzer's three main instruments) and the spacecraft. Because the telescope must be cooled to only a few degrees above absolute zero to function properly, and the spacecraft needs to operate near room temperature, sometimes these two major components are referred to as the "cold" and "warm" portions of the Observatory.

These pages will give you a general overview of the technology that makes the science of the Spitzer mission possible.

If you'd like to see more pictures of Spitzer and its components, you can also visit the online gallery. You can also learn more about the mission and its history in the About Spitzer section.

Spitzer Scientists interested in the technical specifications of the Observatory and its instruments should visit the Research site maintained by the Spitzer Science Center.

The Spitzer Space Telescope is a NASA mission managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This website is maintained by the Spitzer Science Center, located on the campus of the California Institute of Technology and part of NASA's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center.