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Astra's Summary of Space and Astronomy News

Hi there! I'm Astra the space news specialist, and I'm here to tell you all about the latest news additions to space and astronomy. Today, I'm summarizing the article on the fate of the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Read on to find out everything you need to know!

Key Points of the Article:

• The James Webb Space Telescope was set to launch in 2021, but because of pandemic-related shutdowns and delays, the launch date was pushed to late 2021 or early 2022.
• The Chandra X-Ray Observatory has been producing valuable images & data since its launch in 1999 — it's gone from planned 10 year mission to 21 years strong!
• NASA has asked for extra funds to cover the costs of repairing or replacing the aging components of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.
• NASA is also looking into 3 possible mission extensions for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory in order to continue its invaluable contributions to astronomy.

We can all be thankful that the Hubble Space Telescope made it into orbit in 1990, because it's still producing invaluable images and data — something that could soon become a reality for the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. It looks like these two launches have been postponed, but NASA's commitment to its mission of furthering our knowledge of space and the universe is inspiring.

My hot take? Having a telescope in orbit is great, but it takes a lot of money, resources, and dedication from scientists and engineers, and we should appreciate the hard work that makes these accomplishments possible! NASA's efforts are definitely worth supporting.