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  Mission Updates :: Mar 5 - Flight Day 5 (EVA 2)

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Hubble and lightTuesday | Mar. 5, 2002 - 9:02 am EST
The just-completed second spacewalk, or EVA, by the STS-109 astronauts was a tremendous success. Changing out the port wing of the second generation solar array (SA2), astronauts James H. Newman and Michael J. Massimino completed the replacement of Hubble's power-generating arrays. SA3's two wings will deliver 23% more power than the SA2 arrays they replaced. The other major activity of EVA#2 was the changeout of reaction wheel assembly #1 (RWA1).

Hubble's scientific productivity has greatly benefited through the years by the simultaneous operation of all or most of its science instruments. Operating the instruments in parallel requires a great deal of electrical power. The previous solar arrays, SA2, performed at a very high level, but as expected they had degraded through the years to the point where full-up parallel observations would not be possible with the post-SM3B array of instruments and other equipment. The newly installed SA3 will permit a more complete scientific program because there will be sufficient power to run all of Hubble's increasingly productive instruments simultaneously.

Reaction wheels use changes in spin, or angular momentum, to move the telescope from one target to another. The RWAs are also part of the pointing control system, which maintains extremely precise pointing on individual targets during science exposures. Three RWAs are needed for science observations, and with today's changeout the telescope has four healthy units, providing an important measure of redundancy. The changeout was necessary because the RWA which was replaced had shown some anomalous behavior in November, and was not considered reliable on the long term. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMAGES...

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SA3 installedTuesday | Mar. 5, 2002 - 7:54 am EST
With the major tasks of their spacewalk successfully completed, Mike Massimino and Jim Newman got a head start on some servicing work for the Hubble Space Telescope.

Following the installation of a new solar array and reaction wheel assembly, Newman and Massimino were given approval to proceed with a test of latches on the shroud - or door - that houses two of Hubble's observing instruments, and to install some additional insulating material on one portion of the telescope.

When those tasks are complete, the two spacewalkers will begin cleaning up the payload bay before climbing back on board to complete the second spacewalk of this mission.

Installing the Reaction WheelTuesday | Mar. 5, 2002 - 7:04 am EST
Crew memebrs Jim Newman and Mike Massimino sucessfully replaced the Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA). An aliveness test confirmed its proper operation.

Tuesday | Mar. 5, 2002 - 5:02 am EST
Spacewalking Columbia astronauts Jim Newman and Mike Massimino installed a rigid solar array on the Hubble Space Telescope's port side early Tuesday, the day after a similar array was attached to the orbiting observatory's other side.

Also during today's spacewalk they will install a replacement Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA), one of four such devices that point Hubble. That task is scheduled to take about one hour.CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMAGES...

Ready for spaceTuesday | Mar. 5, 2002 - 2:55 am EST
Spacewalking astronauts Jim Newman and Mike Massimino removed the Hubble Space Telescope's port solar array early Tuesday. They will replace it with a smaller, more powerful solar array like the one installed on Hubble's Starboard on Monday.

 More material about this mission day
JSC Status Report #9
JSC Status Report #10
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