Chandra x-ray observatory pointing control system performance during transfer orbit and initial on-orbit operations

摘要

The Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO, formerly AXAF) is the third of the four NASA great observatories. It was launched from Kennedy Space Flight Center o n23 July 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and was successfully inserted in a 330 72,000 km orbit by the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). Through a series of five Integral Propulsion System burns, CXO was placed in a 9,650 x 139,200 km orbit. After initial on-orbit checkout, Chandra's first light images were unveiled to the public on 26 August 1999.