4 Conclusions

The EPIC pn-CCD camera on XMM-Newton from the Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik operates in orbit as calibrated on ground: The operating modes have been tested and qualified in-orbit and offer adequate readout schemes for all astronomical observations. The energy resolution is the same as in the ground calibrations and the instrument performance is stable with time, showing no radiation damage within the first nine months in orbit. The instrument background is in the process of being understood. Low energy protons can limit the sensitivity of observations, but do not damage the focal plane detector.

Acknowledgements

The XMM-Newton project is supported by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung/Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (BMBF/DLR), the Max-Planck Society and the Heidenhain-Stiftung. In addition we would like to thank Kayser-Threde GmbH for the design of the pn camera head.

We are indebted to the staff of the MPI semiconductor laboratory, and the technical divisions at the MPE and IAAT.

The European Photon Imaging Camera was developed by the EPIC Consortium led by the Principal Investigator, Dr. M. J. L. Turner. The consortium comprises the following Institutes: MPE Garching, IAAT Tübingen, (Germany); University of Leicester, University of Birmingham, (UK); CEA/Saclay, IAS Orsay, CESR Toulouse, (France); IFC Milan, ITESRE Bologna, IAUP Palermo, Italy. EPIC is funded by: PPARC, CNES, DLR and ASI.