The Chandra X-ray Observatorylaunched 25 years ago by NASA, revolutionized the way we observe the universe, allowing astronomers to study extremely violent cosmic environments such as exploding stars and black holes. However, the mission of Chandra is now in danger because of a budget deficit that threatens to close this observatory.
The director of the astrophysics division of the NASAMark Clampin, said the agency does not want to close the telescope, but it has to make some cost-saving choices. “It’s a game “zero-sum game,” Clampin said, “If we continue to operate Chandra at the previous levels, we’re going to have to cancel something else.” This difficult decision is due to NASA’s reduced science budget in favor of human spaceflight programs.
The importance of Chandra
Chandra is the most powerful X-ray telescope ever built. Thanks to its high-resolution observation capability, it has allowed astronomers to explore phenomena that were unknown when it was built, such as exoplanets and dark energy. The observatory, which orbits the Earth, often combines its data with those of other famous telescopes such as Hubble And James Webb.
The budget cut not only threatens the mission of Chandrabut also the future of many scientists and engineers working on the project. Grant Tremblay, an astronomer involved in the mission, said many of the team members will receive layoff notices if the proposed budget is approved. “Most of them have families, kids in school, roots planted, and so many will be forced to leave astronomy,” Tremblay said.
A controversial decision
Many scientists are fighting against these cuts, hoping to save the telescope. Recently, ten members of Congress wrote to the administrator of the NASABill Nelson, urging him to maintain funding of Chandracalling it a “national treasure“ However, NASA must contend with the government’s budget priorities, which also include new missions and technologies.
Chandra has gifted the community scientific incredible discoveries in the last 25 years. Its possible closure represents a great loss not only for scientists, but also for all of us who benefit from its discoveries.
And what do you think? NASA should find a way to continue to to finance Chandra or is it time to look ahead and invest in new missions? Share your opinion in the comments!
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