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Q & A: Chandra Mission

Chandra   Chandra X-ray Observatory (def.): Formerly called AXAF, Chandra was launched July 23, 1999, and is the largest and most sophisticated X-ray observatory to date.

More Information: About Chandra


Q: I was looking to find out how the Chandra's research and discoveries are affecting people in their everyday lives?

Q: Can you identify some "practical" uses of Chandra?

Q: Why are the Chandra and the VLA telescopes different in size but have simliar resolutions? Are there any other telescopes that are a 100x better than both of them?

Q: How sensitive is Chandra?

Q: Do the Chandra photos only come in one or two a month, or do you take a lot of photos to get one?

Q: I have to look up some information about the Chandra mission. I was looking for the way how Chandra came in its orbit, how he reached its orbit, but I can't find it anywhere.

Q: What is the diameter of Chandra's X-ray lens and who designed it?

Q: Who designed the lens of Chandra?

Q: Was Chandra the primary device for making recent astrophysical discoveries possible? What is Chandra's maximum speed? How does the Chandra keep itself aligned in its elliptical orbit, returning so close to Earth with each pass? How far into space does Chandra travel before its return pass and how long does it take to complete an orbit?

Q: I was wondering if there were any X-ray pictures taken of Earth?

Q: Why was the chandra telescope invented?

Q: What was Dr. Steven Kissel role in the operation of Chandra?

Q: Why did NASA call it the "Chandra X-ray Observatory" and not the "Chandra X-ray Telescope"?

Q: How hot does Chandra get? What materials do you use to protect the sensitive instruments on board?

Q: How has Chandra increased our understanding of the universe? Have there been any spin-offs from the technology associated with its development?

Q: I'd like to know what is the highest frequency (in Hz) that you were able to find with Chandra Telescope and what astrophysical object was the source of this high frequency. Are we able to "make" sources here on Earth that are capable of producing rays at these frequencies?

Q:
I was told that the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) was used daily to command Chandra and receive telemetry. Is this a true statement?

Q: How fast is Chandra travelling and how long does it take to complete one orbit?

Q: What makes ACIS better than previous X-ray detectors?

Q: What are Chandra's orbit specifications?

Q: How big is Chandra? Can you give me a brief overview of the major components of Chandra?

Q: Does the Chandra web site have a clear history of Chandra (when the project started...the day it was launched...today)?

Q: Why the length of time between Chandra seeing and us seeing on the site? For example, the quasar pairs were seen by Chandra in 2000, but we are seeing them on the site in 2002.

Q: Could you point out a marking example of data coming out from Chandra that constitutes a challenge for plasma atomic physics?

Q: Is the HRC still functioning and what role, if any, has it played in recent discoveries?

Q: The X-ray image of Orion Nebula seems to have a large cross in its center, as if it was formed by 4 quadrants. Why is that?

Q: If you pointed Chandra at Earth, what would it see?

Q: What is the most distant object Chandra can see, and what type of object is it?

Q: I would like to know the NORAD orbit catalog number for Chandra.

Q: Can Chandra calculate red shift data of objects?

Q: Will you expand to cover other X-ray imaging, eg baloon-borne HERO's?

Q: I would like to know the brand of material used for the Chandra mirrors.

Q: I'm fascinated as to how X-rays, which I use every day at work, are used in my favorite hobby, Astronomy. I'm curious as to what type of detector you use, in comparison to the one in my XRF spectrometer.

Q: What problems could the chandra face?

Q: How much would it cost to buy time on (or be able to use) the Chandra telescope?

Q: I would like to know more about chandra exposure times versus visible light images taken with Hubble for Cas A.

Q: What is the reflective power of the mirrors used in Chandra telescope?

Q: Why don't you have more public pictures available?

Q: What are the telescope's mirrors made of which allows them to deflect X-rays?

Q: How long is Chandra expected to stay aloft?

Q: Who were the prime contractors for Chandra? Was AS&E a participant when it went online?

Q: How much did Chandra cost?

Q: Does Chandra have a resolution? What is its resolution if it has it?

Q: Are there plans to retrieve the unit?

Q: Will there be a future, different chandra telescope?

Q: What is so special about AXAF?

Q: I was wondering if the Hubble space telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory ever look at the same objects at the same time?

Q: What X-RAY danger was there to the astronauts who placed this instrument in orbit?

Q: I would like to know why the (Chandra) satellite is not orbiting the moon?

Q: Which countries are collaborating on Chandra (USA, Germany, UK...others?)?

Q: How much will the body of the satellite cool? Do you monitor temperature?

Q: What are the wavelengths that Chandra studies?

Q: What is the temperature of the focal plane?

Q: What is the aperture size, the resolution, and the reflector material of Chandra's mirrors?

Q: Could Chandra determine if there are planets around the closest (or not closest) stars?

Q: I want to know about 1. The key features of the Chandra X-ray Observatory? 2. Functions of the instrument on the Chandra X-ray Observatory? 3. Discoveries made or information gathered by the astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory?

Q: Why do you not have any links describing the Chandra Control Center in Cambridge, MA?


Q&A Index