How
does NASA decide what time of day to launch a Hubble Servicing
Mission?
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Like
the first two Hubble service calls, this mission will launch
at night. But this does not mean all Hubble missions must
be night launches. NASA decides when to launch based on two
main factors:
- Hubble's
position in its orbit. The Shuttle must catch up to
Hubble in orbit, so NASA calculates the most efficient use
of time and fuel. The launch time moves backwards about
a half-hour each day.
- Daylight
at the emergency landing sites. Should something go
wrong during the Shuttle's ascent to orbit, it could land
at several sites in the U.S., Spain and Africa. NASA considers
the light conditions at each of these locations when planning
a launch.
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