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Chandra Losing Its Sight To Grease

Posted by timothy on from the try-a-different-shampoo dept.

lgreco writes "The new scientist has this article about NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory that is losing part of its sight due to grease built up on one of its optical filters. I guess it will take a space shuttle mission to clean the filter or install one of these mini windshield wipers ..."

1 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. Built In Rockets? by herrvinny · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The Space Shuttle Columbia delivered Chandra to a low Earth orbit. Then, the Inertial Upper Stage rocket boosted Chandra up to a higher altitude where a built-in propulsion system took Chandra to its final orbit.

    I'm wondering whether there's some juice still left in Chandra's propulsion systems. If so, we can still launch a repair shuttle mission, have Chandra go to the shuttle with whatever's left in it's rockets, and get a repair done. Then, boost it back out. IANARS (I Am Not A Rocket Scientist) but usually NASA leaves some rocket fuel in it's satellites and stuff so they can reorientate themselves if necessary, etc.