The IRIS camera aboard XMM shows one of the solar arrays on the obseravtory just five hours after launch. Photo: ESA

The European Space Agency's X-ray Multi-Mirror observatory has relayed to Earth two images of itself as it orbits high above the planet. XMM was successfully launched into space Friday aboard the first operational Ariane 5 rocket.

The two images taken by a pair of micro-cameras positioned on the exterior of XMM's focal plane assembly. The two cameras are 10 x 6 x 6 cm and have a mass of 430 grams each.

The cameras are different in type. One is a FUGA camera, which provided a black and white image. The second camera, IRIS has a color filter. Both have a field of view of approximately 40 x 40 degrees, allowing the images to show the telescope and the solar arrays.

XMM took the images just under five hours after liftoff at 1925 GMT Friday (2:25 p.m. EST). At the time, the observatory was at an altitude of 55,300 km.

Officials report the spacecraft is in good shape following its launch.

"It's going very, very nicely. Almost better than the simulations we have been through before launch," said XMM controller Dietmar Heger.

In the early hours in space, the craft was acquired by ground stations and controllers worked through the initial in-orbit sequences. The two wings of the solar arrays were released by onboard timer and the telescope's sunshield was opened as planned. In addition, the star trackers were turned on and the reaction wheels were spun up.

XMM's FUGA camera captures a view of the telescope tube, one solar array and the edges of the deployed telescope sunshield (top). Photo: ESA

Plans were also in place for orbit raising maneuvers this weekend. Firings of XMM's thusters were planned for Launch+plus 22 and 24 hours to increase the craft's velocity to start raising the low point of the orbit. A second perigee raising burn is scheduled for Launch+plus 69 hours and a third at 117 hours.

Later a fine tuning burn will be done to fix the orbit's apogee, or high point. XMM's final orbit is planned to be 114,000 km by 7,000 km.

Part of XMM's suite of science instruments, the three of EPIC cameras, will be turned on in the early phase of the mission in an effort to vent the units of any residual air.

On orbit 5, the radiation monitor will be powered on so the observatory can begin collecting data during the trips through the Earth's radiation belts. On orbit 6, the Optical Monitor door will be opened.

Controllers plan to put XMM in a "sleep mode" over the Christmas and New Year holidays. The craft will be pointed at a bright star that will not be occulted during this period. Operations will resume on January 4.

The extended commissioning period for XMM will then start. Science activities are slated to begin in the spring.