Chandra (AXAF)

High resolution imaging and spectroscopy X-ray mission

Short Description:

The Chandra X-ray Observatory (formerly known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility - AXAF) is the NASA follow-up mission to the Einstein Observatory. The Chandra instrumentation consists of a high resolution mirror, two imaging detectors, and two sets of transmission gratings with following important features: an order of magnitude improvement in spatial resolution, good sensitivity from 0.1 to 10 keV, and the capability for high spectral resolution observations over most of this range. The MPE contributed the Low Energy Transmission Grating (LETG) in collaboration with the Space Research Organisation Netherlands (SRON) in Utrecht.

Project Type:

Instrument for satellite

MPE Contribution:

Low Energy Transmission Grating (LETG)

Status:

Launch:             July 23, 1999 (by Space Shuttle Columbia; STS-93)

actual status:   active; in Earth orbit

mission end:     open

Links:

MPE Chandra pages

NASA Chandra pages

High-Energy Astrophysics (web pages of the MPE department involved in the project)

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