![Chandra 25 Images](https://scitechdaily.com/images/Chandra-25-Images-777x601.jpg)
Explore the diversity of the universe through Chandra’s lens in this stunning mosaic featuring 25 new X-ray images from galaxies, nebulae, and black holes unveiled for its 25th anniversary. Credit: NASA/SAO/CXC
Launch and Legacy of Chandra
On July 23, 1999, the space shuttle Columbia launched into orbit carrying Chandra, which was then the heaviest payload ever carried by the shuttle. With Commander Eileen Collins at the helm, the astronauts aboard Columbia successfully deployed Chandra into its highly elliptical orbit that takes it nearly one-third of the distance to the Moon.
“For a quarter century, Chandra has made discovery after amazing discovery,” said Pat Slane, director of the Chandra X-ray Center located at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “Astronomers have used Chandra to investigate mysteries that we didn’t even know about when we were building the telescope — including exoplanets and dark energy.”
![Chandra X-ray Observatory Space Telescope](https://scitechdaily.com/images/Chandra-X-ray-Observatory-Space-Telescope-777x518.jpg)
The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the most sensitive X-ray telescope ever built. Credit: NASA/CXC/NGST
The Impact of X-ray Observations
X-rays are an especially penetrating type of light that reveals extremely hot objects and very energetic physical processes. Many fascinating regions in space glow strongly in X-rays, such as the debris from exploded stars and material swirling around black holes. Stars, galaxies, and even planets also give off X-rays that can be studied with Chandra.
“Chandra has been a great success story for humanity and its pursuit of knowledge,” said Andrew Schnell, acting project manager of NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “Chandra’s incredible accomplishments are made possible by the team’s hard work and dedication.”
The new set of images is a sample of almost 25,000 observations Chandra has taken during its quarter-century in space.
![Chandra 25 Images Labeled](https://scitechdaily.com/images/Chandra-25-Images-Labeled-777x601.jpg)
Chandra 25th anniversary images, with each labeled. Credit: NASA/SAO/CXC
Chandra’s Foundational History
In 1976, Riccardo Giacconi and Harvey Tananbaum first proposed to NASA the mission that would one day become Chandra. Eventually, Chandra was selected to become one of NASA’s “Great Observatories,” along with the here and here), and work with IXPE has revealed the “bones” of a ghostly cosmic hand, in studying an X-ray nebula created by a
Chandra’s Legacy and Management
“On behalf of the STS-93 crew, we are tremendously proud of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its brilliant team that built and launched this astronomical treasure,” said Eileen Collins, commander of the space shuttle Columbia mission that launched Chandra into space in 1999. “Chandra’s discoveries have continually astounded and impressed us over the past 25 years.”
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge, Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California was the prime contractor for the spacecraft.