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Monday May 18, 2009
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Two NASA astronauts are on a spacewalk performing the last repairs to the Hubble, and will be the last two humans ever to touch the aging space telescope, according to Space.com.
Atlantis astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are working in the shuttle cargo bay to add new batteries, insulation and a guidance sensor to the Hubble Space Telescope. Over the weekend, the crew ran into some minor trouble with a stuck bolt and a dead battery in one of the tools, so the repairs are slightly behind schedule.
Nonetheless, the new guidance sensor will help the telescope keep its camera steady and aid in tracking star positions and motions, according to the article. So far, the astronauts have installed a new deep-space camera and a new spectrograph, and have refurbished Hubble's advanced camera and older spectrograph.
Finally, they're also adding a special docking ring so a robotic spacecraft can help guide the Hubble many years from now into the Pacific Ocean when it is decommissioned. (Image credit: NASA)
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May 18, 2009 6:00 PM
Considering this telescope alone has been responsible for 33% of NASA's results for 2% of their budget (figures from Newsy), I'd say it's an asset worth protecting. Good to see even if NASA can't put another man on the moon at least they can maintain one of their most valuable tools.