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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center

Astrophysics Science Division | Sciences and Exploration

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Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Diffuse Emission

ARCADE Launching 2001 ARCADE logo
The Absolute Radiometer for Cosmology, Astrophsyics, and Diffuse Emission (ARCADE) looks back to the dawn of the Universe to observe the transition out of the "cosmic dark ages" as the first stars ignite in nuclear fusion and the Universe begins to resemble its current form. It consists of a set of 7 precision radiometers, cooled to nearly absolute zero, and carried to an altitude of over 35 km (21 miles) by a scientific research balloon. ARCADE measures the tiny heating of the early Universe by the first generation of stars and galaxies to form after the Big Bang.

ARCADE will measure the heating of the universe by the first stars and galaxies to form after the Big Bang. It will also search for the signal of relic decays or annilhilation. ARCADE will measure distortions from a blackbody spectrum to limits

  • Free-Free Emission: Y_ff < 10^{-6}

  • Chemical Potential: mu < 2 x 10^{-5}

    ARCADE is funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Science Mission Directorate under the Astronomy and Physics Reseach and Analysis Suborbital Investigation program. We thank Kulesh Software for contributions to the ground software and TeraVicta Technologies for cryogenic MEMS switches. The INPE Divis�o de Astrof�sica provided the sliced horn antennas at 3, 5, and 7 GHz.