Q&A: Chandra Mission

Q:
How much will the body of the satellite cool? Do you monitor temperature?

A:
The telescope temperature is monitored continually and is maintained near 25 to 30 degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). The High Resolution Camera, one of the instruments used to make images, is kept 20 degrees C (68 F); the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS), is kept much cooler (minus 120 degrees C (minus 184 degrees F) by highly efficient radiators.