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REPAIR OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OUTLINE
I. Description of Original lens defect II. Possible solutions A. A new telescope B. Computer enhancement C. A corrective lens III. Method of repair A. Description of the corrective lens B. Installation of the corrective lens IV.
Results SUMMARY
Several years ago, the Hubble Space
Telescope was launched from a space shuttle flight. Astronomers had hoped that with the Hubble
Space Telescope orbiting high above Earth's cloudy atmosphere, several
questions about how the universe works and was formed could be answered. Unfortunately, after the telescope was in
orbit, technicians discovered that the telescope lens had a flaw that made
the pictures it sent to earth fuzzy.
This was a major disappointment to those hoping to peer deeper into
space. Fortunately, in December 1993,
astronauts aboard another space shuttle mission were able to install a lens
that corrected the problem. For several months after first
discovering the problem, scientists considered three possible solutions. One was to build and launch a new
telescope. This would cost millions of
dollars and delay any deep space study for several years. Another solution was to build a super
computer that could clear up the pictures the current Hubble sent to
Earth. However, even a super computer
would have to "guess" several parts of an enhanced picture because
of the flaw in the original lens. A
third solution was to build and install a corrective "contact lens"
for the Hubble, much as doctors make for humans with vision problems. Scientists decided to build and
install a corrective lens, with construction beginning in June of 1992. The lens was designed to bring into focus
the flawed part of the original telescope lens. The plan called for astronauts on a space
shuttle mission to install the corrective lens and make fine
adjustments. If this worked, the
original Hubble Space Telescope would be saved along with millions of dollars
and several years of work. In December 1993, a space shuttle
mission was launched with the corrective lens on board. No one including the most informed mission
specialist or astronaut knew what to expect since an installation and repair
of this magnitude hundreds of miles above earth had never been
attempted. However, after many hours
of aggravating effort astronauts finally succeeded in putting the corrective
lens in place. A few stressful weeks of
"tuning" the lens followed.
Scientists now report that the Hubble's vision is perfect. The corrective lens installed by the
astronauts exceeds all expectations in repairing the flaw. Because of the success of the repair
effort, big questions such as how our universe began and its eventual fate
may be answered.
SOURCES Baker, Elaine. Black Holes and Hubble. New York:
Roundhill Press, 2008. The "The Hubble Finally Works.” The Spokesman Review 17 Jan. 2000:
B3. Jacobs, Alice L. and Marilyn Moore. "Correcting the Hubble's
Sight." Scientific Adventures Nov. 2004:
68-72. Landis, Carl. Personal interview. 12 Oct. 2007 Orion Web Reference. 5 Feb. 2001. Orion Space Imaging. 16 Oct. 2007 <http://www.orion_space_image.ex> Nova. PBS Television. 15 Jan. 2005. |
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