ULTRASAT: Revolutionizing our view of the transient Universe

Eli Waxman (Weizmann)

November 15, 2021

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Abstract: ULTRASAT is a scientific satellite, that is planned to be launched to a geo-stationary orbit in Q4 2024-Q1 2025. It will carry a telescope with an unprecedentedly large field of view (200 squared degrees) and UV (220-280nm) sensitivity, opening a new wave band and cadence access (minutes to months), and enabling us to detect and systematically study transient astronomical events within an extra-Galactic volume, that is hundreds of time larger than that accessible to current observatories. Measurements of ULTRASAT will have a broad science impact across the fields of gravitational wave sources, supernovae, variable and flare stars, active galactic nuclei, tidal disruption events, compact objects, and galaxies. In this talk I will review the key science goals of ULTRASAT, its unique technical properties, and the structure and status of the project.