ARRAKIHS
| Mission type | Cosmology, Dark Matter |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| Website | https://www.arrakihs-mission.eu/ |
| Mission duration | 3 years (nominal) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Satlantis (Instrument) AVS and Redwire (platform primes to PDR) |
| Landing mass | 600 kg |
| Payload mass | 160 kg |
| Dimensions | ~1.5 x 1.5 x 1.6 m3 |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | Expected 2030 |
| Main telescope | |
| Type | 2 x iSIM170 camera |
| Focal length | 1500 mm (f/10.15) |
| Wavelengths | 280-900 nm visible 900-1600 nm near infrared |
ARRAKIHS (Analysis of Resolved Remnants of Accreted galaxies as a Key Instrument for Halo Surveys) is a planned European Space Agency (ESA) space mission designed to study dark matter and galaxy formation by observing low-surface-brightness structures in the halos of nearby galaxies. Selected in November 2022 as an ESA F-class mission, ARRAKIHS is currently in its definition phase, with a projected launch in 2030.
The mission aims to test the Λ-Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) model by analysing discrepancies between theoretical predictions and observations of small-scale structures, such as tidal stellar streams and dwarf satellite galaxies. To achieve this, ARRAKIHS will observe the local universe at very low surface brightness levels never before reached in visible and infrared wavelengths, using an innovative binocular telescope system designed specifically to capture ultra-low surface brightness images. The instrument will be launched on a mini-satellite that will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 800 km.