Hubble
Space Telescope Parts & Instruments
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Selected
by the sciLINKS program,
a service of National Science Teachers Association. Copyright 2001.
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Solar
Arrays (2)
Convert
sunlight into electricity in order to power the telescope. |
Communications
Antennae
Transmit
Hubble's information to communications satellites called the Tracking
& Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) for relay to ground controllers
at the Space Telescope Operations Control Center (STOCC) in Greenbelt,
Maryland. |
Aperture
Door
Protects
Hubble's optics in the same way a camera's lens cap shields the lens. |
Multi-Layer
Insulation
Protects
Hubble from extreme temperatures. |
Outer
Thermal Blanket Layer
Protects
Hubble from the harsh space environment with stainless steel sheets. |
Spacecraft
Computer
Serve
as the master control system (monitors health, controls movement,
holds observation targets). |
Batteries
Supply
power when Hubble is in the Earth's shadow (charged by solar power
from the arrays during daylight).
Sunlight
powers Hubble and recharges the batteries. Six batteries power Hubble
at night. |
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Pointing
Control System
Keeps
Hubble steady, measures distances, and finds and keeps a target
in sight.
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Gyroscopes/Rate
Sensor Units
Continually report Hubble's position and sense any movement
of the telescope. Each Rate Sensor Unit holds two gyros. |
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Reaction
Wheels
Spin to rotate the telescope to a new target. |
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Magnetic
Torquers
Slow the speed of the reaction wheels. |
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Star
Trackers
Find
pre-selected "landmark" stars to serve as reference points. |
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Fine
Guidance Sensors (2)
Keep
Hubble precisely locked on its target. |
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Instrument
Support Structure
Holds
instruments in place.
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Telescope
Support Structure
Holds
primary and secondary mirrors in place using special material that
will not expand or contract.
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Primary
Mirror
Collects
light from space and reflects it to the secondary mirror.
Secondary
Mirror
Collects
light from the primary mirror and reflects it through a hole in the primary
mirror to the focal plane.
More
on Hubble Instruments
Faint
Objects Camera (FOC)
FOC
is the last original instrument still on Hubble, the FOC was designed
to see crisp, clear images of very faint objects. FOC is no longer operating
and is to be removed in 2001. It will be replaced with the Advanced Camera
for Surveys (ACS).
Space
Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS)
[Replaced
the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) in 1997]
This second-generation instrument separates light into colors or wavelengths,
much like a prism makes a rainbow. Scientists use this information to
learn what stars and other objects are made of and how they move. STIS
is an especially good black hole hunter.
Wide
Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2)
[Replaced
WFPC1 in 1993. . WFPC2 will be replaced by Wide Field Camera 3 in 2003.]
This powerful
camera takes crystal-clear pictures over a wide field of view and broad
range of wavelengths.
Near
Infrared Camera & Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) [replaced
Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS)]
NICMOS is
a Second Generation Imager/Spectrograph. NICMOS is HST's only near infrared
(NIR) instrument. To be sensitive in the NIR, NICMOS must operate at a
very low temperature, requiring sophisticated coolers. Problems with the
solid Nitrogen refrigerant have necessitated the installation of the NICMOS
cryo-cooler on Servicing Mission 3B to continue operations.
NICMOS
Cryo-Cooler (NCC)
Like COSTAR,
NCC is not a separate instrument but rather a device which will allow
NICMOS to continue operations by providing mechanical cooling for the
NICMOS detectors. Results from the HOST mission indicate that NCC will
allow NICMOS to operate for up to 5 years beyond Servicing Mission 3B.
Solid
State Recorder (2) (one
in use, one spare)
[First
SSR replaced a reel-to-reel, mechanical tape recorder in 1997.]
Digitally
records and stores science and operations data. This is the second solid
state recorder to be placed on Hubble. It serves as a spare to the first
SSR.
S-Band
Single Access Transmitter (SSAT) (2)
Sends data
over radio waves to a system of satellites, that then relay the information
to Hubble's controllers on the ground. Hubble uses two of these transmitters.
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