Hubble’s Final Mission | National Geographic

helping to design every step the

helping to design every step the astronauts take as Christy Hansen the

astronauts take as Christy Hansen the

astronauts take as Christy Hansen the space walking task lead for the Hubble

space walking task lead for the Hubble

space walking task lead for the Hubble servicing mission

servicing mission

servicing mission well this mission is very exciting

well this mission is very exciting

well this mission is very exciting because what we’re doing on this flight

because what we’re doing on this flight

because what we’re doing on this flight is five back-to-back spacewalks

is five back-to-back spacewalks

is five back-to-back spacewalks typically on orbit who is well maybe

typically on orbit who is well maybe

typically on orbit who is well maybe before and are not back-to-back it’s a

before and are not back-to-back it’s a

before and are not back-to-back it’s a very heavily packed mission so

very heavily packed mission so

very heavily packed mission so essentially on any hubble space

essentially on any hubble space

essentially on any hubble space telescope servicing mission we’re either

telescope servicing mission we’re either

telescope servicing mission we’re either gonna fix broken science instruments on

gonna fix broken science instruments on

gonna fix broken science instruments on the telescope or we’re gonna upgrade

leading the highly skilled team of

leading the highly skilled team of spacewalkers is veteran hubble astronaut

spacewalkers is veteran hubble astronaut

spacewalkers is veteran hubble astronaut John Grunsfeld this is John’s third

John Grunsfeld this is John’s third

John Grunsfeld this is John’s third mission to the Hubble joining John for

mission to the Hubble joining John for

mission to the Hubble joining John for three of the spacewalks is rookie

three of the spacewalks is rookie

three of the spacewalks is rookie astronaut drew foist ‘el another Hubble

astronaut drew foist ‘el another Hubble

astronaut drew foist ‘el another Hubble veteran Mike Massimino will be making

veteran Mike Massimino will be making

veteran Mike Massimino will be making his second visit to the telescope he’ll

his second visit to the telescope he’ll

his second visit to the telescope he’ll be joined on two of the spacewalks by

be joined on two of the spacewalks by

be joined on two of the spacewalks by another first-time astronaut Mike good

on the first spacewalk John and drew

on the first spacewalk John and drew will change out the white field camera

will change out the white field camera

will change out the white field camera this new camera is the highest science

this new camera is the highest science

this new camera is the highest science priority on the mission and it’s a big

priority on the mission and it’s a big

priority on the mission and it’s a big improvement over the old one with the

improvement over the old one with the

improvement over the old one with the addition of infrared arrays the camera

addition of infrared arrays the camera

addition of infrared arrays the camera will be able to look much farther into

will be able to look much farther into

will be able to look much farther into the distant universe and continue to

the distant universe and continue to

the distant universe and continue to provide the stunning images that Hubble

provide the stunning images that Hubble

provide the stunning images that Hubble is known for it will take a little over

is known for it will take a little over

is known for it will take a little over two hours to swap cameras one of the

two hours to swap cameras one of the

two hours to swap cameras one of the biggest challenges for the astronauts on

biggest challenges for the astronauts on

biggest challenges for the astronauts on this spacewalk is hand fatigue from

this spacewalk is hand fatigue from

this spacewalk is hand fatigue from constantly fighting the pressures of

constantly fighting the pressures of

constantly fighting the pressures of their suits while gripping the cameras

their suits while gripping the cameras

their suits while gripping the cameras for such a long period of time near the

for such a long period of time near the

for such a long period of time near the end of the first spacewalk they’ll

end of the first spacewalk they’ll

end of the first spacewalk they’ll change out the batteries this is the

change out the batteries this is the

change out the batteries this is the first time batteries have ever been

first time batteries have ever been

first time batteries have ever been replaced on the telescope giving Hubble

replaced on the telescope giving Hubble

replaced on the telescope giving Hubble fresh new Power Cells there are two

fresh new Power Cells there are two

fresh new Power Cells there are two modules that contain three batteries

modules that contain three batteries

modules that contain three batteries each John will work on replacing one set

each John will work on replacing one set

each John will work on replacing one set while drew changes out the other

for the second spacewalk

for the second spacewalk the teams are switched Mike good is on

the teams are switched Mike good is on

the teams are switched Mike good is on the robotic arm and Mike Massimino will

the robotic arm and Mike Massimino will

the robotic arm and Mike Massimino will be the free floater they’re changing out

be the free floater they’re changing out

be the free floater they’re changing out the six gyroscopes that help keep the

the six gyroscopes that help keep the

the six gyroscopes that help keep the telescope properly oriented in space

it’s a challenging task because the

it’s a challenging task because the doors they need to get into are unevenly

doors they need to get into are unevenly

doors they need to get into are unevenly shaped and once inside it’s a tight fit

shaped and once inside it’s a tight fit

shaped and once inside it’s a tight fit a giant guy in his spacesuit jammed in

a giant guy in his spacesuit jammed in

a giant guy in his spacesuit jammed in this they called the x-ray off and he’s

this they called the x-ray off and he’s

this they called the x-ray off and he’s not allowed to touch anything inside of

not allowed to touch anything inside of

not allowed to touch anything inside of the Astra none of the black multi-layer

the Astra none of the black multi-layer

the Astra none of the black multi-layer insulation

insulation

insulation there’s cabling and harnesses that giant

there’s cabling and harnesses that giant

there’s cabling and harnesses that giant is a giant guy now the most exciting

is a giant guy now the most exciting

is a giant guy now the most exciting parts of the missions will be spacewalks

parts of the missions will be spacewalks

parts of the missions will be spacewalks number three and four we do spacewalks

number three and four we do spacewalks

number three and four we do spacewalks normally everything is designed to be

normally everything is designed to be

normally everything is designed to be performed by an astronaut wearing big

performed by an astronaut wearing big

performed by an astronaut wearing big beefy gloves so the bolt sizes are nice

beefy gloves so the bolt sizes are nice

beefy gloves so the bolt sizes are nice and bangs got a big nice socket on it

and bangs got a big nice socket on it

and bangs got a big nice socket on it and everything is captive so when you’re

and everything is captive so when you’re

and everything is captive so when you’re released up with doesn’t float away well

released up with doesn’t float away well

released up with doesn’t float away well we’re getting into an instrument the

we’re getting into an instrument the

we’re getting into an instrument the Space Telescope imaging spectrograph

Space Telescope imaging spectrograph

Space Telescope imaging spectrograph stopped working on the Hubble in August

stopped working on the Hubble in August

stopped working on the Hubble in August of 2004 when a power supply failed but

of 2004 when a power supply failed but

of 2004 when a power supply failed but before that happened it was able to

before that happened it was able to

before that happened it was able to confirm for the first time the existence

confirm for the first time the existence

confirm for the first time the existence of a black hole in the center of a

of a black hole in the center of a

of a black hole in the center of a galaxy the spectrograph can measure how

galaxy the spectrograph can measure how

galaxy the spectrograph can measure how fast a star or planet is moving and what

fast a star or planet is moving and what

fast a star or planet is moving and what it’s made of

to get to this critical piece of

to get to this critical piece of hardware the astronauts will need to

hardware the astronauts will need to

hardware the astronauts will need to remove a cover that is held in place

remove a cover that is held in place

remove a cover that is held in place with lots of tiny screws 111 or 11 on

with lots of tiny screws 111 or 11 on

with lots of tiny screws 111 or 11 on fact non captive screws and the s

fact non captive screws and the s

fact non captive screws and the s critters are gonna be floating around

critters are gonna be floating around

critters are gonna be floating around you got you actually have to design a

you got you actually have to design a

you got you actually have to design a tool to make it happen

tool to make it happen

tool to make it happen and I can show you what that down here

and I can show you what that down here

and I can show you what that down here on the moment let’s see it this is

on the moment let’s see it this is

on the moment let’s see it this is called the Space Telescope imaging

called the Space Telescope imaging

called the Space Telescope imaging spectrograph fastener capture plate and

spectrograph fastener capture plate and

spectrograph fastener capture plate and it’s a beefy tool pretty impressive

it’s a beefy tool pretty impressive

it’s a beefy tool pretty impressive this whole thing we snap on to the front

this whole thing we snap on to the front

this whole thing we snap on to the front of the science instrument so it’s it’s

of the science instrument so it’s it’s

of the science instrument so it’s it’s on top of the cover we have to remove

on top of the cover we have to remove

on top of the cover we have to remove and if you look closely it’s a lexan

and if you look closely it’s a lexan

and if you look closely it’s a lexan cover and there are 111 holes in this

cover and there are 111 holes in this

cover and there are 111 holes in this and what that allows us to do is to

and what that allows us to do is to

and what that allows us to do is to access the screws on the cover of the

access the screws on the cover of the

access the screws on the cover of the science instrument now these screws are

science instrument now these screws are

science instrument now these screws are they Phillips head screws or these

they Phillips head screws or these

they Phillips head screws or these standard screws or what is it crazy

standard screws or what is it crazy

standard screws or what is it crazy screws there’s three different kinds and

screws there’s three different kinds and

screws there’s three different kinds and most of them are Torx head screws horses

most of them are Torx head screws horses

most of them are Torx head screws horses those are really funky bit really funky

those are really funky bit really funky

those are really funky bit really funky bit we have torque set and everything is

bit we have torque set and everything is

bit we have torque set and everything is color-coded on the fastener capture

color-coded on the fastener capture

color-coded on the fastener capture plate to help the astronaut and the

plate to help the astronaut and the

plate to help the astronaut and the ground team to communicate and not be

ground team to communicate and not be

ground team to communicate and not be confused so the astronaut puts the red

confused so the astronaut puts the red

confused so the astronaut puts the red sockets onto his mini power tool sticks

sockets onto his mini power tool sticks

sockets onto his mini power tool sticks the the socket or fit through itto

the the socket or fit through itto

the the socket or fit through itto releases the screw and then the screws

releases the screw and then the screws

releases the screw and then the screws are all floating around inside the

are all floating around inside the

are all floating around inside the fastest at plate and covered so they

fastest at plate and covered so they

fastest at plate and covered so they won’t be free inside the telescope with

won’t be free inside the telescope with

won’t be free inside the telescope with a new bed