The Infrared Telescope in Space (IRTS) is the first Japanese orbiting telescope dedicated to infrared astronomy observations.

The IRTS is a cryogenically cooled infrared telescope that flied aboard a multi-purpose space platform SFU (Space Flyer Unit). It was launched by a Japanese new rocket HII on March 18, 1995. It surveyed approximately 7 % of the sky with a relatively wide beam during its 28-day mission. Four focal plane instruments made simultaneous observations of the sky at wavelengths from 1 to 1000 micron.

The IRTS will add significant information on cosmology, interstellar matter, late type stars and interplanetary dust.

The IRTS data were previously served through the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science's (ISAS in Sagamihara, Japan) space data archive system (DARTS). These data are now available through the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA), using Atlas (you most-likely arrived at this Help Page via Atlas). Currently the NIRS and MIRS point source catalogues and the far-infrared image maps by the FILM and FIRP are included.

IRTS Mission Hardware

• Cross Section of the IRTS
• Telescope of the IRTS
• Summary of IRTS characteristics
• Focal Plane Instruments
• SFU
• HII-3 rocket
• HII-3 rocket was launched
• SFU/IRTS was recovered

Results

• IRTS data archive through Atlas
  
• IRTS data reduction & analysis
  
• List of Publications
  
• International Symposium: Diffuse Infrared Radiation and the IRTS [leaving IRSA site]