Astronomers Try to Save NASA's Chandra X-ray Space Telescope From Cuts: NPR

The most powerful X-ray telescope ever built has reached its 25th anniversary in space — but on Earth, astronomers worry that its future is in serious doubt.

Chandra X-ray Observatory supporters say the school bus-sized instrument is healthy and can continue doing research for another decade, but NASA recently announced Plan To reduce its funding and effectively finish the job.

Head of the Astrophysics Division at the Agency, Mark Clampinhe have He said Officials are facing a difficult financial situation, and they must make difficult choices in order to free up money to develop future telescopes, such as one that will search for habitable planets that might support life.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory before its launch into orbit in 1999 on a NASA space shuttle.

NASA

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But many astronomers can't stomach the idea of ​​shutting down Chandra, a unique instrument currently used in conjunction with the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope to make important discoveries.

“Chandra recently teamed up with the James Webb Space Telescope to discover this supermassive black hole at the edge of the universe. It was the oldest black hole, and the most distant black hole ever discovered,” he says. David Pauley A professor at Trinity College, he is an astronomer who has been using Chandra since it was launched into orbit on a space shuttle in 1999.

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X-rays provide a means of studying some of the most exotic phenomena in the universe, as they are generated during extreme cosmic events that heat matter to millions of degrees. They can only be observed from space, not by ground-based telescopes, because incoming X-rays are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere.

There is no other telescope like Chandra, and losing it would be a huge blow, says Pauly.

“Its ability to detect distant objects is unmatched by any other X-ray telescope ever built or ever to be built and operated—for at least another decade, perhaps two,” says Pauly. “Decommissioning this great observatory for a relatively small cost saving would be a major blow to U.S. leadership in this entire field.”

Artist's concept of the Chandra X-ray Observatory in space.

NASA/CXC and J.Vaughan

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NASA/CXC and J.Vaughan

Planned cuts to NASA's budget will soon require layoffs of a large number of employees who run the telescope, meaning dozens of astronomers will be out looking for work, according to the press release. campaign which appeared in an attempt to reverse the decision.

According to astronomers Grant TremblayThe layoffs were expected to be announced in August, with employees leaving by October.

“Most of them have families, children in school and established roots, so a large number of them will have to leave astronomy,” he says. male In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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Pauly says everyone understands the budget constraints, but he disagrees with the idea of ​​abandoning a productive spacecraft already in space for “another one in 20 years. I don’t think that’s a good use of taxpayer money.”

Chandra experts, such as Paul Levitt, have taken to social media to express their dismay.

Scientists have also appealed to members of Congress such as Seth Moultona Democratic U.S. representative from Massachusetts, home to the telescope's operations center.

“I'm listening to over 700 astronomers who signed a letter saying, 'This work is important. It needs to continue,'” Moulton told NPR. “I really think it's up to us in Congress to try to find the money to make sure it continues.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday meeting Members of the agency’s Astrophysics Advisory Committee will discuss Chandra’s future. Part of that discussion will include the results of a review NASA has begun to see if the telescope, along with the aging Hubble, can be operated on a reduced budget.

“NASA will share its decisions, taking into account the results of the review, at a virtual town hall in the coming weeks,” a NASA spokesperson told NPR via email.