The Chandra X Observatory shortly after being released by Columbia.
Click on image for full size
Courtesy of NASA
Columbia Finally Delivers!
News story originally written on July 23, 1999
The Space Shuttle Columbia finally launched! After two earlier delays, the shuttle lifted off on July 23, 1999. The commander is Eileen Collins, the first female to lead a mission.
The main mission for the crew is putting the Chandra X Observatory in space. This telescope will study distant objects like pulsars. It will look at a lot of neat things like the Hubble Space Telescope does!
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