2020年12月10日早晨，我国在四川西昌卫星发射中心成功发射了两颗卫星，以寻找引力波的来源。我国已经发射的这对卫星，它们将监视与重力波一起发射的电磁对应物。这些信号将迅速中继到地面，从而帮助缩小科学家需要搜索以寻找引力波源的太空区域。这两个140 kg重的卫星组成了引力波高能电磁对空全天候监控器（GECAM），它将随时监视整个天空，以获取来自宇宙中某些最剧烈事件的信号。更多信息请注意浏览相关报道。

China launches two satellites for gravitational wave detection

2020-12-10 14:17:01 来源:Xinhua

China sent two satellites for the detection of gravitational waves into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on Thursday morning.

China sends two satellites for the detection of gravitational waves into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on Dec 10, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The two satellites, which compose the Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) mission, were launched by a Long March-11 carrier rocket at 4:14 am (Beijing Time), according to the center.

Thursday's launch was the 355th mission of the Long March rocket series.

The GECAM satellites will be used to monitor high-energy celestial phenomena such as gravitational wave gamma-ray bursts, high-energy radiation of fast radio bursts, special gamma-ray bursts and magnetar bursts, and to study neutron stars, black holes and other compact objects and their merger processes.

In addition, they will also detect high-energy radiation phenomena in space, such as solar flares, Earth gamma flashes and Earth electron beams, providing observation data for scientists.

The GECAM project is carried out by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Long March-11 rocket is developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

By Andrew Jones

A Long March 11 rocket carrying satellites in September

Cai Yang/Xinhua News Agency/PA Images

China has launched a pair of satellites which will watch for the electromagnetic counterparts that are emitted along with gravitational waves. These signals will be relayed quickly to the ground, helping narrow the area of sky scientists need to search to find the sources of gravitational waves.

These two 140-kilogram satellites make up the Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM), which will watch the entire sky at all times for signals from some of the most violent events in the universe – collisions between a …