What is "ultrasat"

ULTRASAT (Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite) is a proposed astronomical satellite mission whose wide-angle UV telescope will detect and monitor transient astrophysical phenomena in the near-ultraviolet spectral region. ULTRASAT will observe a large patch of sky, more than 200 square degrees, alternating every six months between the southern and northern hemisphere. The satellite will orbit the Earth from an altitude of about 300 km above the geosynchronous orbit, getting a ‘ride’ as a secondary payload in the fairing of the rocket carrying a communications satellite. Upon detection of a transient event, ULTRASAT will provide alerts to other ground-based and space telescopes to be directed to the source for further observation of the event in other wavelength bands. A joint American-Israeli proposal for this project was submitted to NASA by a team from Caltech/JPL ( Jet Propulsion Laboratory), the Weizmann Institute of Science and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The Israeli contribution will be funded by the Israel Space Agency and launch is expected before 2021.