CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Spacewalking astronauts gave the Hubble Space Telescope a more commanding view of the cosmos by installing a new high-tech instrument Saturday, then pulled off their toughest job yet: fixing a broken camera.
It was the third spacewalk in as many days for the shuttle Atlantis crew and the most intricate ever performed because of the unprecedented camera repairs. Astronauts had never before tried to take apart a science instrument at the 19-year-old observatory.
NASA considered this repair job — and one planned today on another failed science instrument — to be the most delicate and difficult ever attempted in orbit. Neither instrument was designed to be handled by astronauts wearing thick, stiff gloves.
A second round of testing was expected to last well into the night.
NASA hopes to keep Hubble working for another five to 10 years. Already, the astronauts have given Hubble two top-of-the-line science instruments, fresh batteries and gyroscopes and a new science data unit.
Even with two spacewalks remaining, NASA managers were handing out accolades and talking about how improved the telescope already is.
If all goes well, the telescope will be released Tuesday from Atlantis after Monday’s spacewalk.
by the associated press
It was the third spacewalk in as many days for the shuttle Atlantis crew and the most intricate ever performed because of the unprecedented camera repairs. Astronauts had never before tried to take apart a science instrument at the 19-year-old observatory.
NASA considered this repair job — and one planned today on another failed science instrument — to be the most delicate and difficult ever attempted in orbit. Neither instrument was designed to be handled by astronauts wearing thick, stiff gloves.
A second round of testing was expected to last well into the night.
NASA hopes to keep Hubble working for another five to 10 years. Already, the astronauts have given Hubble two top-of-the-line science instruments, fresh batteries and gyroscopes and a new science data unit.
Even with two spacewalks remaining, NASA managers were handing out accolades and talking about how improved the telescope already is.
If all goes well, the telescope will be released Tuesday from Atlantis after Monday’s spacewalk.
by the associated press
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