QUVIK
| Mission type | Space telescope for UV Photometry |
|---|---|
| Operator | VZLU |
| Website | quvik |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | VZLU / TOPTEC |
| Launch mass | 130 kilograms (290 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2028 (planned) |
| Main telescope | |
| Type | Maksutov-Cassegrain |
QUVIK (Quick Ultra-Violet Kilonovae Surveyor) is a future ultraviolet space telescope under development by the Prague-based company VZLU Aerospace with the support of the Czech government and the European Space Agency (ESA).[1][2][3][4][5] It will be the first space telescope developed in Czechia.[2] QUVIK is expected to launch in 2028.[6]
Background
QUVIK is a collaboration between VZLU, Masaryk University,[1] TOPTEC (Institute of Plasma Physics),[6][7] and PEKASAT.[8] The mission has been selected for realization by the Czech Ministry of Transport and ESA in 2023 together with another VZLU-led satellite mission called AMBIC with an expected budget of €30 million each.[5]
Objectives
Its primary focus is the study of kilonovae and their role in the formation of elements heavier than iron.[2][9][10][11] It will also probe the accretion disks of black holes with high-cadence monitoring[12] and study the UV emissions of stars and active galactic nuclei.[13]
See also
References
- ^ a b "QUVIK will become the first Czech space telescope Astrophysicists from Masaryk University lead the scientific part of the project". Faculty of Science MU | MUNI SCI. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ a b c "QUVIK – THE FIRST CZECH SPACE TELESCOPE – QUVIK". Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ Werner, N.; Řípa, J.; Münz, F.; Hroch, F.; Jelínek, M.; Krtička, J.; Zajaček, M.; Topinka, M.; Dániel, V. (2022-07-12), Quick Ultra-VIolet Kilonova surveyor (QUVIK), arXiv:2207.05485, retrieved 2026-03-16
- ^ s.r.o, Titio. "The Czech Republic will have two separate space missions: AMBIC and QUVIK". md.gov.cz. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ a b Houdek, Tomas (2023-09-28). "First Czech Space Telescope QUVIK Given Green Light - Brno Daily". Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ a b "The TOPTEC Center to participate in unique QUVIK space telescope project". www.ipp.cas.cz. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Space Optics - TOPTEC". toptec.eu. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ "Welcome to PEKASAT | PEKASAT SE". www.pekasat.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ Werner, Norbert; Ripa, Jakub; Munz, Filip; Daniel, Vladimir (July 2024). "QUVIK: Quick Ultra Violet Kilonova surveyor". 45th COSPAR Scientific Assembly. 45: 1743. Bibcode:2024cosp...45.1743W.
- ^ "Mission overview of QUVIK: the first Czech-led space telescope and its science case".
- ^ University, Masaryk. "QUVIK". Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics | MUNI SCI. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ Zajaček, Michal (November 2024). "How can we utilize the planned small UV space telescope QUVIK for solving unresolved AGN problems?". Appearance and Dynamics of Accretion Onto Black Holes: I.4. Bibcode:2024apab.conf..I.4Z. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14096466.
- ^ Zajaček, Michal; Werner, Norbert; Best, Henry; L'Heureux, Jolie Esme; Řípa, Jakup; Viskotová, Monika; Mondek, Martin; Münz, Filip; Å tofanová, Lýdia; Kurfürst, Petr; Labaj, Matúš; Garland, Izzy L.; Tohuvavohu, Aaron; Karas, Vladimír; Suková, Petra (October 2025). "High-cadence observations of galactic nuclei by the future two-band UV-photometry mission QUVIK". Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems. 11 (4) 042222. arXiv:2501.19365. Bibcode:2025JATIS..11d2222Z. doi:10.1117/1.JATIS.11.4.042222.