1. Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Timeline June 30, 2001: launched aboard a Delta II-7425-10 launch vehicle October 1, 2001: arrival at L2 April 2002: completed first full sky scan October 2002: completed second full sky scan February 2003: first data released April 2003: third full sky scan due to be completed …

2. Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Instrumentation Radiometer: Differential pseudo-correlation with polarization Optics: Dual Gregorian, 1.4 m x 1.6 m primary reflectors Thermal: Passive radiative cooling to < 95 kelvins Frequencies (GHz): 22, 30, 40, 60, 90 Angular Resolution: 0.25 o – 0.93 o Sensitivity: ~ 35 x 10 -6 K per 0.3 o square pixel

3. Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Mission Results to Date Age of Universe: 13.7 billion years +/- 1% margin of error First stars ignited: 200 million years after Big Bang Content of the Universe: 4% atoms, 23% Cold Dark Matter, 73% Dark Energy Geometry of the Universe: flat Expansion Rate (Hubble Constant) Value: H 0 = 71 km/s/Mpc +/- 5% Inflation: New evidence (from polarized signal) to support theory Fate of the Universe: it will expand forever