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Hubble Trouble | National Geographic


December 2nd 1993 the crew boards the

December 2nd 1993 the crew boards the shuttle Endeavour the world watches as

shuttle Endeavour the world watches as

shuttle Endeavour the world watches as they blast off toward the stricken

they blast off toward the stricken

they blast off toward the stricken Hubble of five spacewalks tackles a set

Hubble of five spacewalks tackles a set

Hubble of five spacewalks tackles a set task to carry out maintenance work to

task to carry out maintenance work to

task to carry out maintenance work to replace the faulty solar panels and to

replace the faulty solar panels and to

replace the faulty solar panels and to install new instruments working in

install new instruments working in

install new instruments working in spacesuits and zero gravity isn’t easy

spacesuits and zero gravity isn’t easy

spacesuits and zero gravity isn’t easy but there are some upsides we were

but there are some upsides we were

but there are some upsides we were moving around pieces of equipment the

moving around pieces of equipment the

moving around pieces of equipment the size and the shape of the grand piano no

size and the shape of the grand piano no

size and the shape of the grand piano no way could I have moved that around on

way could I have moved that around on

way could I have moved that around on the earth you know you feel like

the earth you know you feel like

the earth you know you feel like Superman up there

Superman up there

Superman up there they fit the new correction device

they fit the new correction device

they fit the new correction device successfully but not everything goes

successfully but not everything goes

successfully but not everything goes smoothly one of the faulty solar panels

smoothly one of the faulty solar panels

smoothly one of the faulty solar panels is too warm to roll back into its

is too warm to roll back into its

is too warm to roll back into its original holder the astronauts jettison

original holder the astronauts jettison

original holder the astronauts jettison it into space that started to somersault

it into space that started to somersault

it into space that started to somersault and we were just mesmerized it was

and we were just mesmerized it was

and we were just mesmerized it was flapping you know it was like the wings

flapping you know it was like the wings

flapping you know it was like the wings of some giant prehistoric bird but the

of some giant prehistoric bird but the

of some giant prehistoric bird but the most challenging surprise comes as

most challenging surprise comes as

most challenging surprise comes as Hoffmann tries to close one of Hubble’s

Hoffmann tries to close one of Hubble’s

Hoffmann tries to close one of Hubble’s equipment bay doors this was something

equipment bay doors this was something

equipment bay doors this was something we had done dozens of times underwater

we had done dozens of times underwater

we had done dozens of times underwater but when I went to close them oh they

but when I went to close them oh they

but when I went to close them oh they didn’t it didn’t close right the effects

didn’t it didn’t close right the effects

didn’t it didn’t close right the effects of zero gravity have deformed the door

of zero gravity have deformed the door

of zero gravity have deformed the door if it isn’t shut the telescope won’t be

if it isn’t shut the telescope won’t be

if it isn’t shut the telescope won’t be optically sealed all future observations

optically sealed all future observations

optically sealed all future observations will be ruined

will be ruined

will be ruined it was a potentially fatal problem and

it was a potentially fatal problem and

it was a potentially fatal problem and you’ll basically lose the telescope

you’ll basically lose the telescope

you’ll basically lose the telescope another astronaut joins Hoffman at the

another astronaut joins Hoffman at the

another astronaut joins Hoffman at the door between them they can hold it

door between them they can hold it

door between them they can hold it closed

closed

closed but then neither has a free hand to lock

but then neither has a free hand to lock

but then neither has a free hand to lock it shut we came up with an idea of

it shut we came up with an idea of

it shut we came up with an idea of adapting one of our tools in a

adapting one of our tools in a

adapting one of our tools in a completely non standard manner but

completely non standard manner but

completely non standard manner but basically to work as an extra hand their

basically to work as an extra hand their

basically to work as an extra hand their plan is to hold the door shut with a

plan is to hold the door shut with a

plan is to hold the door shut with a strapping device leaving them free to

strapping device leaving them free to

strapping device leaving them free to close the locks they suggest the idea to

close the locks they suggest the idea to

close the locks they suggest the idea to ground control I think they had visions

ground control I think they had visions

ground control I think they had visions of us wrapping this tool all the way

of us wrapping this tool all the way

of us wrapping this tool all the way around Hubble and and cinching it down

around Hubble and and cinching it down

around Hubble and and cinching it down and Hubble was going to collapse like an

and Hubble was going to collapse like an

and Hubble was going to collapse like an aluminum beer can finally the the flight

aluminum beer can finally the the flight

aluminum beer can finally the the flight director I think made a good call he

director I think made a good call he

director I think made a good call he said look team we sent these people up

said look team we sent these people up

said look team we sent these people up they can see better than we can let’s

they can see better than we can let’s

they can see better than we can let’s let them go ahead and do what they think

let them go ahead and do what they think

let them go ahead and do what they think needs to be done the plan works mental

needs to be done the plan works mental

needs to be done the plan works mental ingenuity and some old-fashioned elbow

ingenuity and some old-fashioned elbow

ingenuity and some old-fashioned elbow grease get the door seal off Minh steam

grease get the door seal off Minh steam

grease get the door seal off Minh steam returns to the shuttle at 7 hours and 54

returns to the shuttle at 7 hours and 54

returns to the shuttle at 7 hours and 54 minutes it clocks in as the second

minutes it clocks in as the second

minutes it clocks in as the second longest spacewalk in history

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