News by Date
2026     2025     2024     2023
2022     2021     2020     2019
2018     2017     2016     2015
2014     2013     2012     2011
2010     2009     2008     2007
2006     2005     2004     2003
2002     2001     2000     1999
1998     1997    
News by Category
Solar System
Stars
White Dwarfs
Supernovas
Neutron Stars
Black Holes
Milky Way Galaxy
Normal Galaxies
Quasars
Galaxy Clusters
Cosmology/Deep Field
Miscellaneous
Press Resources
Status Reports
Press Advisories
Image Releases
Release Guidelines
Image Use Policy
Web Shortcuts
Chandra Blog
RSS Feed
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
Operations CXO Status Report

Friday 13 March 2026 9.00am EDT

During the last week Chandra completed the observing schedule as planned.

A real-time procedure was executed on Mar 12 to test the TReK-Autocon ground system which is used for ISS remote payload operations. A single command (CNOOP) was sent to the spacecraft via automated software developed at MSFC.

Chandra image and press releases were issued on Mar 10 describing observations of GBR 230906A by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, and Hubble Space Telescope. The source of this gamma ray burst has been tracked to a collision between two ultradense stars in a tiny galaxy buried in a huge stream of gas. Astronomers have never seen this type of explosive event in an environment like this before. This finding may explain why some GRBs do not appear to have host galaxies. The unusual location of GRB 230906A may also help explain how astronomers have spotted elements like gold and platinum in stars at relatively large distances from galaxies. For details, see: https://chandra.si.edu/press/26_releases/press_031026.html

The schedule of targets for the next week is shown below, and includes an observation of M87 coordinated with the EHT and NuSTAR.



------------------------------------------
        PSRJ1459-6053          ACIS-I       Mar 16
        PWNJ1631-4721          ACIS-S
        M87                    ACIS-S
        PSRJ1813-1749          ACIS-S
        NGC4548                ACIS-S       Mar 17
        PerseusclusterE        ACIS-I
        NGC4548                ACIS-S
        Radiation Belts
        Abell2255              ACIS-I       Mar 18
        HD29419                HRC-I
        CasA                   ACIS-I
        CasA                   ACIS-I
        CasA                   ACIS-I
        CasA                   ACIS-I
        NGC4548                ACIS-S
        Radiation Belts
        PerseusclusterE        ACIS-I
        NGC3626                ACIS-S       Mar 19
        PerseusclusterE        ACIS-I
        NGC3626                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterE        ACIS-I
        NGC3626                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterE        ACIS-I
        Abell2255              ACIS-I       Mar 20
        Radiation Belts
        NGC4548                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterN        ACIS-I
        NGC3626                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterN        ACIS-I       Mar 21
        NGC4548                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterN        ACIS-I
        NGC3626                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterN        ACIS-I
        NGC3626                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterS        ACIS-I       Mar 22
        NGC3626                ACIS-S
        PerseusclusterS        ACIS-I
        PerseusclusterN        ACIS-I
        Radiation Belts

------------------------------------------

All spacecraft subsystems except HRC-S continued to support nominal operations.

Return to Status Reports