World Report: February 28, 1997 Vol.2 No.19
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
The Hubble Gets A Tune-up
For seven years, the Hubble telescope has floated far above the earth, sending back stunning photos of the wonders of the universe. The $2 billion machine has traveled 996 million miles and made more than 110,100 observations of stars, galaxies and planets.
But all that hard work, plus exposure to the sun, has caused some wear and tear to the busy scope. Last week a team of astronauts gave it a delicate tune-up.
In 1993 a similar mission improved Hubble's vision with new "glasses." This year astronauts made five space walks from the shuttle Discovery to patch up parts and replace old equipment.
Working mostly in the starry night sky, the crew added instruments to allow Hubble to see deeper into the universe. Besides sharper eyes, the $795 million mission gave Hubble a better brain and balance.
The shuttle team boosted the telescope into its highest-ever orbit: 385 miles above the earth. NASA hopes to release the first images from the improved Hubble in May.
Fixing up the machine made the crew a bit nervous. But after the mission was completed last Thursday, astronaut Scott Horowitz rejoiced, "We had a blast!"
