A Crisis in X-ray Astronomy: The Potential End of the Chandra X-ray Observatory
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- Chandra X-ray Observatory faces a critical moment as budget cuts threaten its future. Launched in 1999, Chandra has revolutionized our understanding of the high-energy universe. Now, its mission hangs in the balance. In this episode, we explore the importance of Chandra, the potential impact of its shutdown, and the response from the scientific community. Join us as we delve into the fate of this cosmic detective.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:36 Chandra's Stellar Legacy
03:21 The Looming Budget Cuts
05:25 Rallying for Chandra's Future
07:21 Outro
07:45 Enjoy
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The issues with Chandra goes beyond funding. The last original person of the Chandra project retired in 2018. (I interviewed to be a part time supporter of Chandara. So I had meet that person.) The on board computers are Military 1750A computers. The software is written in 1750A Assembly and ADA. I have experience with both. Compiler support is non-existent and only a few people have experience with 1750A. And Chandra has no redundant gyroscopes. When one more gyroscope goes, it is dead. (There is gyroscope in the lab running 24/7 to see if, when, and how it fails in comparison of space based gyroscopes.) Chandra had a 5 year design life. The space craft and the people who worked on it have done an exemplary job. It will be missed. It is time to design a new X-Ray telescope with modern hardware and software.
This has significance to me because I personally built the valve that unsealed the sensor once it hit the vacuum of space.
A working probe should be kept alive as long as it can do science.
B4 and Thru the Apollo Program NASA HAD ALMOST UNLIMITED FUNDING.
And today their budget is 8% what it was then, not Adjusting for Inflation even.
I don't know the magnitude of the numbers here, but ... The US public funded getting Chandra built & launching it to space. While I, personally, would love for Congress to continue funding it (with MY tax dollars) I can see how others might not be so anxious. While it cost a chunk to build & launch it in the first place, the actual running costs are probably MUCH lower. I'd think that, if scientists are so anxious to get the data, they could probably fund the costs to run Chandra as well. If they're not willing to pay this cost, then Congress (NASA) is probably correct that we should be focusing our efforts (& tax dollars) elsewhere.
Is the Government in D.C. aware? And are they helping you at
NASA? Your work is so important.
So why are there separate telescopes for infrared JWST, X-ray Chandra, and light Hubble ? Can’t these be integrated? Or does that require too much collaboration and thus shared credit ? Can’t that integration save on cost ?
Short answer, no.
@@jerrypolverino6025 A longer answer is "yes, but it won't be a viable option in terms of cost and construction, therefor, it's not worth investing in."
More instrument hours. These telescopes serve 7 billion people
@JJ66680 is correct that separate observatories allow for more total observing time and more science. However, there are other factors as well. An X-ray telescope like Chandra requires a completely different type of mirror than a light or infrared telescope, by basic physics. You could make one observatory to do both, but it would basically have to be two separate telescopes bolted together with less flexibility but little cost savings. Furthermore, even where there is some overlap in capabilities (some, not complete) like JWST and Hubble, they are keeping Hubble up there because it has its own strengths (different wavelengths) AND because it is already there and working fine. It is efficient to keep using an older launched and working platform like Hubble or Chandra. Finally, your (@getsmartpaul) basic idea of combining is sound enough that NASA does do it, where it makes sense. For example, both JWST and Hubble (and maybe Chandra, I don't know as much about Chandra) have a single mirror system that gets used by multiple cameras and spectrographs. Basically, one mirror, but multiple tailored guts of it to do more science efficiently. However, as stated, x-rays go straight through a JWST or Hubble type mirror, so Chandra exists because x-ray detectors cannot share the same kind of mirror system.
Different in optics for wave length and the material science of sensors. Visible light optics don't work with X-rays optics. (X-ray optics work with light, but very poorly.) Sensors of X-Rays don't work for visible light. Visible light sensors don't work with infrared. Infrared sensors and mirrors must be as close to absolute zero. But that is not needed for visible or x-ray. Specialization satellite by wave length is cheaper per satellite with more efficient optics and sensors. Multiple satellites provide more redundancy and optimization of orbit.
At least save ol' Hubble. Been floating around up there all this time and it's STILL going, AND I believe I heard 1 time that Elon is going to fund and launch a well-needed servicing mission relatively soon before Hubble is naturally de-orbited, as it's now low enough to eventually crash back to earth within our lifetimes, possibly in the next 10 to 20 years.
We all need to donate to NASA so they can keep the operation's even if it is only $5.00 because it will all add up. 😊 ❤ 😊 ❤ 😊 ❤.
No. We need to contact our representatives to let them know how important NASA is to us. We give enough to the government as it is.
Um no.
You should be asking what all the money is for?
It's not like the thing needs to be fueled up all the time. Why can't we just pay to maintain the data connection and release it to the public for analysis.
Unless im missing something there should be _plenty_ of researchers and enthusiasts who would gladly crunch those numbers every which way.
I mean does it really cost that much just to receive and record it? Is its operation from the ground that expensive? It seems like it could still be like 90% useful under such a scenario
@@SuperPhunThyme9we can help scientists by processing data from boinc distributed computing software or we can crunch numbers using it....
The hubble telescope takes tons and tons of more money then Chandra. Yet its almost quite useless yet we keep that over chandra?
Help me out, those who have experience working these things - WHY does it cost so much to basically USE something that is already in space & gets it's electricity from solar panels (the sun hasn't quit has it ?) ? It's not like parts for these are still being made & taken up to it, right ?
Why the cuts?
we need to keep funding elon and his expensive firecrackers and empty shells he calls starships.
Better systems coming likely
@@jonathonshell I agree, much better systems are going to trplace old.
Do the folks that "use" the Chandra pay to use it or, does NASA foot the bill for its use? Are the only scientist that use it from NASA or other gov't. agencies, or, do many University Faculty also use it? With all that the Universities charge for tuition these days, certainly they should be able to pay for the use of this device, that the rest of us paid to build?
My gut that has worked in a research lab says that funding for the research usually includes compensation to support equipment used. This undoubtedly varies, but I am sure some of research funding goes for this. Correct me if I am wrong! Blessings ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Researchers write proposals for viewing time on observatory satellites. The best proposals get selected and are assigned a schedule of time. The data that is collect during their viewing is private to the researchers for a year. This gives them time to write papers and present their findings. After that time the data is in the public domain and be dowloaded by anyone. As for the eduction, "The National Defense Education Act" starting in 1958 provided Federal funds to K-12 and colleges. The act was renewed until the Regan administration. The funds provided education enrichment, special NSF summer programs for smart high school students, and subsidies to colleges and universities to keep tuition cost low. It was to raise a generation of Cold War scientists and engineers to counter the Soviet threat. (In conversation with a German Rocket scientist back in the 1980's, he said they were ready to launch a satellite a year and half before Sputnik.)
Study of space is good for humanity. They can go for funding from space agencies world-wide. It is very sad even a developed country has budget constraints for science.
Why is the moon turning rusty red? Have you figured out why yet?
That is a catastrophe!
مسئلة وقت ولدنيا خطط لبناء محطات فضائة لخدمة والاستثمارات التابعة للحكومة الامريكية والمفيدة للجميع بإذن الله تعالى 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲👍
Simply sad...NASA scientists doesn't give kickbacks right polititians ? Like military i dustrial complex, you getting kickbacks in bug cases but not from NASA..War is the moneymaker🤢🤢
Uh I don’t think so….
The Bean Counters ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ARE BAD FOR SCIENCE.
How bout we stop giving Ukraine money...,.