[meteorite-list] Life After Retirement For Hubble Hardware

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:01:34 2004
Message-ID: <200206201532.IAA14283_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

ESA Science News
http://sci.esa.int

20 Jun 2002

Life after retirement for Hubble hardware

Two pieces of 'retired' hardware retrieved from the Hubble Space
Telescope provide scientists and engineers with unique knowledge
of how long-term exposure to the harsh space environment affects
hardware.

In March 2002, during a Space Shuttle servicing mission, the
European-built Faint Object Camera (FOC) and a set of solar arrays
were retrieved from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and brought
back to Earth. Since most of the hardware sent into space never
reaches the ground again in one piece, engineers and scientists were
eager to examine everything as soon after the landing as possible.

Samples of the FOC and the solar arrays were taken directly from the
cargo bay of the Space Shuttle after only a few hours -- before they
were 'contaminated' by our atmosphere. Samples should be as unspoilt
as possible for the laboratory investigations that will take place
over the coming months.

The results of the detailed investigations of the Hubble FOC and
arrays are not expected before the end of next year. However,
visual inspection has already revealed some of the state of the
hardware. Despite its record 4340-day stay in space, the FOC
instrument shows no signs of degradation. "It looks like new!" says
Lothar Gerlach, ESA's solar generator specialist and central person
in the 'post-flight activities'. "The solar arrays also look great,"
he says, "but have the typical signs of being exposed to the extreme
temperatures, intense radiation and micrometeorite bombardment in
space." Typical signs would include cracks, holes, and discolouring
in the solar arrays, for example.

Even though Hubble's FOC and solar arrays no longer play an active
role, they have received a new 'life' back on Earth. They will
provide material scientists and space-debris researchers with a
rare opportunity to examine the effects of long-term operations in
space.

Notes for editors

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation
between ESA and NASA.

Scientists all over the world continue to use the thousands of FOC
images stored in archives in Europe, the USA and Canada.

USEFUL LINKS FOR THIS STORY

* More about Hubble
  http://sci.esa.int/hubble

IMAGE CAPTIONS

[Image 1:
http://sci.esa.int/content/searchimage/searchresult.cfm?aid=1&cid=12&oid=30157&ooid=30137]
The European-built solar arrays being rolled up for transport back to
Earth.

[Image 2:
http://sci.esa.int/content/searchimage/searchresult.cfm?aid=1&cid=12&oid=30157&ooid=30139]
The Faint Object Camera back on the ground.

[Image 3:
http://sci.esa.int/content/searchimage/searchresult.cfm?aid=1&cid=12&oid=30157&ooid=30138]
Samples of the Faint Object Camera and Solar Arrays being taken from
the Space Shuttle only hours after landing. Lothar Gerlach is seen
taking the samples.
Received on Thu 20 Jun 2002 11:32:07 AM PDT