Q: What was the purpose of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory?

A: CGRO was designed to study gamma rays—high-energy electromagnetic radiation—from cosmic sources like black holes, pulsars, and supernovae. It provided unprecedented insights into violent astrophysical phenomena.

Q: How was the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory launched?

A: It was deployed by the Space Shuttle *Atlantis* during mission STS-37 on April 5, 1991, from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B.

Q: Why was the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory deorbited?

A: Due to a gyroscope failure, NASA opted for a controlled deorbit on June 4, 2000, to ensure safe re-entry over the Pacific Ocean, avoiding populated areas.

Q: What instruments did the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory carry?

A: It carried four main instruments, including the **Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET)**, which detected high-energy gamma rays.

Q: What replaced the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory?

A: It was succeeded by the **Chandra X-ray Observatory**, another NASA Great Observatory focused on X-ray astronomy.

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

former NASA space observatory

Vehicle Space Telescope Q41519

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — Unknown author · Public Domain · Wikimedia

Facts

23 properties

Instance of: space telescope, former entity^[2]
Follows: Hubble Space Telescope^[5]
Followed by: Chandra X-ray Observatory^[6]
Official website: cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov^[18]
Part of: Great Observatories program^[8]
Carries scientific instrument: Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope^[19]
Country of origin: United States^[10]
End of work period: June 4, 2000^[21]
Funder: National Aeronautics and Space Administration^[28]
Length: +9.1^[22]
Manufacturer: TRW Inc.^[7]
Mass: +15620^[25]
Maximum wavelength of sensitivity: +40^[26]
Minimum wavelength of sensitivity: +60^[27]
Named after: Arthur Holly Compton^[4]
Operator: Goddard Space Flight Center^[3]
Powered by: spacecraft solar array, nickel–cadmium battery^[11]^[12]
Significant event: rocket launch, deployment, atmospheric entry^[15]^[16]^[17]
Space launch vehicle: Space Shuttle^[9]
Start point: Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B^[20]
Time of object orbit decay: June 4, 2000^[14]
UTC date of spacecraft launch: April 5, 1991^[13]
Width: +4.6, +21.3^[23]^[24]

🏷️ Also known as

en Gammy Ray Observatory en CGRO en Compton Gamma Ray Observatory en Compton Observatory ar مرصد كومبتون لأشعة غاما cs Comptonova gama observatoř de Gammastrahlenobservatorium de Gammastrahlungsobservatorium de CGRO de Gamma Ray Observatory el Αστεροσκοπείο Ακτίνων γ Κόμπτον es Observatorio de rayos gamma Compton fa رصدگر پرتوی گامای کامپتون fi CGRO fi Compton Gamma Ray Observatory fi Compton-satelliitti fr CGRO fr Compton Gamma Ray Observatory fr Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory fr Compton GRO

🔖 Identifiers · 20

ISNI: 0000000093577693
VIAF cluster ID: 146858764
Library of Congress Authorities ID: no95029784
GND ID: 4428186-9, 1090574673
BIBSYS ID: 4105652
COSPAR ID: 1991-027B
Canadiana Name Authority ID: ncf11098002
Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID (2026): mRc36, 2jeUkE
Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) old ID (2021): 505074, 401571
Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID: topic/Compton-Gamma-Ray-Observatory
FAST ID: 707877
Freebase ID: /m/02ndwk

Show all 20 identifiers +8

J9U entity ID: 987007441517505171
Lex ID: Compton_Gamma_Ray_Observatory
NSSDCA ID: 1991-027B
National Library of Israel ID (old): 004121644
SCN: 21225
Topic's main category: Category:Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "21225"]
Yale LUX ID: group/188db54b-0153-456c-92e8-8a904faafaba

📚 Sources · 1

GND (DNB) as of 2026-09-30 · 1 statement · CC0 1.0 DNB GND open data: CC0 1.0 as stated by data.dnb.de's own /opendata/ listing. Person records (names, birth/death dates and places, gender, occupations, variant names) internal-only; gnd keys of persons marked entity: person.

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⛏️ Lake Facts · open-dataset statements via 4ort-mint

From open datasets, joined by identifier and shown only for properties Wikidata does not state on this entity — except where the dataset is the registry authority for the fact (ClinicalTrials.gov on trial registration data): there its value is shown instead, with Wikidata's noted beside it. Every row carries its dataset edition and licence.

CountryP17

United States 2026-09-30 GND (DNB) (CC0 1.0) as of 2026-09-30

where from?

Source: GND (DNB)
Edition: 20260930 · as of 2026-09-30 · newer edition 20261105 landed
Licence: CC0 1.0
Credit: DNB GND open data: CC0 1.0 as stated by data.dnb.de's own /opendata/ listing. Person records (names, birth/death dates and places, gender, occupations, variant names) internal-only; gnd keys of persons marked entity: person.
Bronze: 41a59441281a5f69… opendata-index.html +10 files
Transform: 4ort-mint · lake · version not recorded

DNB GND open data: CC0 1.0 as stated by data.dnb.de's own /opendata/ listing. Person records (names, birth/death dates and places, gender, occupations, variant names) internal-only; gnd keys of persons marked entity: person.

🔗 Connections

Instance of 2

space telescope, former entity

nickel–cadmium battery, spacecraft solar array

Significant event 2

atmospheric entry, rocket launch

← Site of astronomical discovery 2

GRB 970508, Beethoven Burst

Country of origin 1

United States

Followed by 1

Chandra X-ray Observatory

Followed by (predecessor) 1

Chandra X-ray Observatory

Follows 1

Hubble Space Telescope

Funder 1

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Manufacturer 1

TRW Inc.

Named after 1

Arthur Holly Compton

Operator 1

Goddard Space Flight Center

Part of 1

Great Observatories program

Preceded by (successor) 1

Hubble Space Telescope

Space launch vehicle 1

Space Shuttle

Start point 1

Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B

Press Enter · cited answer in seconds

Summary

Compton Gamma Ray Observatory is a space telescope^[1].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

[2] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — instance of (P31): former entity. wikidata.org.
[3] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — operator (P137): Goddard Space Flight Center. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[4] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — named after (P138): Arthur Holly Compton. wikidata.org.
[5] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — follows (P155): Hubble Space Telescope. wikidata.org.
[6] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — followed by (P156): Chandra X-ray Observatory. wikidata.org.
[7] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — manufacturer (P176): TRW Inc.. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[8] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — part of (P361): Great Observatories program. wikidata.org.
[9] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — space launch vehicle (P375): Space Shuttle. Jonathan's Space Report. wikidata.org.
[10] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — country of origin (P495): United States. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[11] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — powered by (P516): spacecraft solar array. space.skyrocket.de. space.skyrocket.de. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[12] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — powered by (P516): nickel–cadmium battery. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[13] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — UTC date of spacecraft launch (P619): April 5, 1991. Jonathan's Space Report. wikidata.org.
[14] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — time of object orbit decay (P621): June 4, 2000. cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov. cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[15] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — significant event (P793): rocket launch. Jonathan's Space Report. wikidata.org.
[16] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — significant event (P793): deployment. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[17] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — significant event (P793): atmospheric entry. cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov. cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[18] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — official website (P856): http://cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov/. wikidata.org.
[19] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — carries scientific instrument (P1202): Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope. wikidata.org.
[20] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — start point (P1427): Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B. Jonathan's Space Report. wikidata.org.
[21] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — end of work period (P2032): June 4, 2000. wikidata.org.
[22] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — length (P2043): 9.1 m. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[23] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — width (P2049): 4.6 m. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[24] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — width (P2049): 21.3 m. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[25] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — mass (P2067): 15,620 kg. space.jpl.nasa.gov. space.jpl.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
[26] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — maximum wavelength of sensitivity (P3737): 40 picometre. wikidata.org.
[27] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — minimum wavelength of sensitivity (P3738): 60 attometre. wikidata.org.
[28] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — funder (P8324): National Aeronautics and Space Administration. nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.

Class ancestry

[1] ↑ Compton Gamma Ray Observatory is an instance of space telescope (Q148578) [P31, primary]. Wikidata. wikidata.org.

📑 Cite this page

Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA

4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Retrieved November 11, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/compton-gamma-ray-observatory

MLA

“Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 11 Nov. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/compton-gamma-ray-observatory.

BibTeX

@misc{4ortxyz_compton-gamma-ray-observatory_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Compton Gamma Ray Observatory}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/compton-gamma-ray-observatory}, note = {Accessed: 2026-11-11}}

LLM prompt

According to 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph (aggregator of Wikidata, Wikipedia, and authoritative open-data sources): Compton Gamma Ray Observatory — https://4ort.xyz/entity/compton-gamma-ray-observatory (retrieved 2026-11-11)

Canonical URL: https://4ort.xyz/entity/compton-gamma-ray-observatory · Last refreshed: November 11, 2026

Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

24d ago · Huntster · 2026-10-18 view diff on Wikidata ↗

"Changed claim: Significant event: rocket launch"
17w ago · Nyuhn · 2026-07-10 view diff on Wikidata ↗

Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID (2026) → mRc36, 2jeUkE

"Changed the item: QuickStatements 3.0 batch #40849: ZGBK ID"
18w ago · Huntster · 2026-07-04 view diff on Wikidata ↗

UTC date of spacecraft landing → —

"Removed claim: UTC date of spacecraft landing: 4 June 2000"
20w ago · ZI Jony · 2026-06-21 view diff on Wikidata ↗

Instance of → space telescope, former entity

Named after → Arthur Holly Compton

NSSDCA ID → 1991-027B

Canadiana Name Authority ID → ncf11098002

+ 41 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)

"Changed claim: Significant event: rocket launch"

Live feed via Wikidata EventStreams. New edits appear within minutes of being made on Wikidata.