HUBBLE SM3B STS-109 COLUMBIA LAUNCH

HUBBLE SPCE TELESCOPE SM3B STS-109 COLUMBIA LAUNCH
Servicing Mission 3B, March 2002: Astronauts aboard space shuttle Columbia (STS-109) installed several new instruments on Hubble that vastly improved the observatory's capability. Astronauts performed five spacewalks. Their principal task was to install the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). With its wide field of view, sharp image quality and enhanced sensitivity, ACS could collect data ten times faster than the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, the telescope's earlier surveying instrument. The ACS brought the nearly 12-year-old telescope into the 21st century. The ACS was quickly used to capture the most distant image of the universe, called the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. The 8-year-old solar array panels were replaced with smaller rigid ones that produce 30 percent more power. Astronauts also replaced the outdated Power Control Unit, which distributes electricity from the solar arrays and batteries to other parts of the telescope; and they replaced one of the four reaction wheel assemblies that make up Hubble's pointing control system. Another key upgrade was the installation of a new cooling system for the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), down since 1999 after depleting its refrigerant. Hubble's infrared vision was finally back.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• HUBBLE
• SPCE
• TELESCOPE
• SM3B
• STS-109
• COLUMBIA
• LAUNCH
• NASA
• HST
• SEVICING
• MISSION
• STS
• 109
• KSC
• JET
• JPL
• UNIVERSE
• REPAIR
• CREW
• EVA
• SPACEWALK
• ESA
• EUROPE
• AGENCY
• ASTRONAUT
• FILE
• TAPE
• REC
• HOUSTON

[151L107]

This was the last time that "Columbia" would have a safe and successful mission. Only one more flight to go before its destructiton in 2003.

[soystuff1195]

This was a few years ago, but they're headed up again on May 12! You should go to Nasa and research it — they are doing quite a bit of work.

[JezeroCraterDweller]

This upgrade is going to be so awesome!