 Hubble's
designers knew that technology would advance rapidly-so
they built the telescope to advance right along with it.
During planned servicing missions, spacewalking astronauts
install powerful new instruments and perform routine maintenance
to keep Hubble healthy and on the cutting edge of technology
throughout its 20-year life.
The crew of Space Shuttle Columbia conducted Servicing
Mission 3B in February 2002. During the 360-mile-high service
call, astronauts performed five spacewalks over 11 days.
Their most important tasks included adding a much more powerful
camera, a smaller, more powerful set of solar arrays, a
fresh power control unit and an experimental cooling system
to revive Hubble's infrared vision.
| Primary
Tasks |
Secondary
Tasks |
Install Advanced Camera
 for
Surveys (ACS)
Replace Solar Arrays (SA3)
Replace Power Control
Unit
(PCU)
Install NICMOS Cooling
System
(NCS)
Replace 1 of 4 Reaction
Wheel
Assemblies (RWA)
|
Replace Gyroscopes
Fit New Outer Blanket
Layers
(NOBLs) |
Above are summaries of the upgrades that took place.
Read onward to find out more about each specific upgrade
and their ramifications. CONTINUE...
| Part 1 2
3
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