Q&A: Chandra Mission

Q:
I was told that the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) was used daily to command Chandra and receive telemetry. Is this a true statement?

A:
The Chandra X-ray Observatory mission does not use the AFSCN for any purpose. We use NASA's Deep Space Network for command of the spacecraft and receipt of data.
[More information at http://chandra.harvard.edu/about/asc.html]

We did use an AFSCN antenna at Diego Garcia for about a month or so at the very beginning of the mission, when the spacecraft was in an orbit that at times made visibility from DSN antennas insufficient. However, since that time, we have used the DSN only.