Enlarge / Artist's illustration of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. (credit: NASA/MSFC) NASA launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory 25 years ago this week, opening a new eye on the Universe and giving astronomers vision into unimaginably violent cosmic environments like exploding stars and black holes. But Chandra's mission may soon end as NASA's science division faces a nearly billion-dollar budget shortfall. NASA says it can no longer afford to fund Chandra at the levels it has since the telescope launched in 1999.