NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Chandra image of debris from a massive star explosion in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Image Credit: NASA/CXC/NCSU/K.J.Borkowski et al.
Discoveries in astronomy and physics have taken scientists on an amazing journey through time, from distant galaxies and an expanding universe to black holes, dark energy, and supernovae. Marshall has made significant contributions to our knowledge of the universe through our roles in many of NASA's specialized space telescope missions, including the design and development of the Hubble Space Telescope mirrors as well as critical instrumentation carried by the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory.

Today, Marshall provides management and scientific expertise to the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the world's most powerful X-ray telescope that is helping scientists determine the very nature of celestial objects and explore the beginnings of the universe. Marshall is also supporting NASA's next-generation premier space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, by conducting cryogenic optical testing of the primary mirror segments in Marshall's world-class X-ray & Cryogenic Facility.

In 2008, NASA launched the Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope, now known as FERMI, which is designed to explore the most extreme environments of the universe where short, tremendous explosions called gamma-ray bursts occur. Aboard the telescope is the Marshall developed and managed Gamma-ray Burst Monitor or GBM, an instrument designed to monitor gamma-ray bursts at lower energies.

In addition to Marshall's work on NASA's great observatories, our space scientists are involved in balloon experiments measuring X-ray emissions, discovering unexpected features in the cosmic ray spectrum, and closely examining the properties of individual cosmic and lunar dust grains all in an effort to improve man's understanding of the universe.