COBE

• COsmic Background Expolrer (COBE) has been developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

• It was launched November 18, 1989

• Three instruments on board:

  • Far Infrared Absolute Spectrometer: FIRAS
  • Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment: DIRBE
  • Differential Microwave Radiometers: DMR

• September 21, 1990 : depletion of helium

• December 23, 1993 : end of mission