Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
WMAP Timeline
1995
WMAP Proposed to NASA
1996
WMAP Approved for Definition Study
1997
WMAP Approved for Development
30 June 2001
WMAP Launch
15:46:46 EDT on June 30, 2001 aboard a Delta II-7425-10 (no. 286) launch vehicle.
15:46:46 EDT on June 30, 2001 aboard a Delta II-7425-10 (no. 286) launch vehicle.
10 August 2001
WMAP Arrives at L2
Following a three month journey, WMAP arrived safely at its permanent observing station near the
L2 Lagrange Point, a quasi-stable position 1.5 million km from Earth
in the direction opposite the Sun.
April 2002
WMAP Covers the Full Sky
WMAP completed its first full sky observations.
1 July 2002
One Year!
WMAP completes first year of flight.
One Year!
WMAP completes first year of flight.
August 2002
One Year at L2
Second full sky scan completed. More data are collected as WMAP continues to orbit the sun.
11 February 2003
A release based on the initial full sky data. The data is archived and distributed via NASA's new
Legacy Archive for Microwave Background Data Analysis
(LAMBDA). Press Release
The MAP Spacecraft is renamed WMAP in honor of David T. Wilkinson.
August 2003
Two Years at L2
Fourth full sky scan completed. More data are collected as WMAP continues to orbit the sun.
August 2004
Three years at L2
The WMAP observatory continues to operate flawlessly.
March 2005
WMAP Science Impact
Two of the WMAP first-year papers were
listed
as the two most highly cited papers in all of space science.
August 2005
Four years at L2
The WMAP observatory continues to operate flawlessly. The first-year data release contained the prime
results of the mission. NASA declared WMAP a success in meeting its "level 1" requirements.
WMAP first-year scientific papers were listed
13 times as the "Hot Paper in Physics".
16 March 2006
Second Data Release
While the first-year results were based mainly on temperature measurements, the continued mission
operations are now primarily focused on the much weaker polarized signals - an
invaluable "stretch" goal of the extended mission. Analyses of these weaker signals are
more difficult. The calibration and systematic error analyses have been completed, and the data files
have been documented for use by researchers. For an overview see Results. - Press Release
March 2008
Third Data Release
Five-year results reveal more "stretch" goals of the extended mission. For an overview see Results.
26 January 2010
Fourth Data Release
Seven-year results reveal more about polarization, dark energy, and tighter limits on the cosmological model. For an overview see Results.
19 August 2010
WMAP Ceases Science Operations
WMAP ended the collection of science data on this day. The final two years of data will be analyzed and published in approximately two years with the final funding we have received.
28 October 2010
WMAP Ceases Communications
WMAP received its last command this afternoon. The spacecraft will remain in observing mode - collecting data in silence - for as long as the battery holds up. It will orbit the Sun out beyond L2, where it will be a new object for small body astronomers to find. Fare thee well WMAP.
