Chandras First Light: Cassiopeia A . ... Credit Chandra X-ray Observatory , NASA Explanation: Cosmic wreckage from the detonation of a massive star is the subject of this official first image from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory . ... With this and other first light images , the Chandra Observatory is still undergoing check out operations in preparation for its much anticipated exploration of the X-ray sky. Chandra was launched aboard the space shuttle Columbia in July. ...