Astronomy Buffs, Hubble is about to get even better!
The long-awaited service mission wherein Hubble's main imaging unit will be replaced with an instrument capable of peering into the universe with 10x the efficiency that it currently can, will be completed over the next few days. To get the details on this second leg of the SM3 servicing missions, check out this link
<a href="http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-critical/objectives-part2.html" target="_blank">http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-critical/objectives-part2.html</a>
and this one, to see what was done a few months ago as a precursor.
<a href="http://sm3a.gsfc.nasa.gov/current_status.html" target="_blank">http://sm3a.gsfc.nasa.gov/current_status.html</a>
I expect that within a year, we're going to see some more Discovery specials and scienctific books published, that provide even more astonishing astro-photography than we've seen in the past. Not only that, but my understanding is that the photographs will no longer be hampered by the "missing corner" effect that most images up to this point have suffered from (because part of the old camera system was inoperative from the get-go and was unable to be replaced until now.
Did someone say "wOOT?!"
[ 03-02-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]</p>
<a href="http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-critical/objectives-part2.html" target="_blank">http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-critical/objectives-part2.html</a>
and this one, to see what was done a few months ago as a precursor.
<a href="http://sm3a.gsfc.nasa.gov/current_status.html" target="_blank">http://sm3a.gsfc.nasa.gov/current_status.html</a>
I expect that within a year, we're going to see some more Discovery specials and scienctific books published, that provide even more astonishing astro-photography than we've seen in the past. Not only that, but my understanding is that the photographs will no longer be hampered by the "missing corner" effect that most images up to this point have suffered from (because part of the old camera system was inoperative from the get-go and was unable to be replaced until now.
Did someone say "wOOT?!"
[ 03-02-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]</p>
Comments
<img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
More pretty pictures. More baffling discoveries.
Good news.
Data about planets should be especially interesting, now that scientists are beginning to realize that they're pretty common things.
<strong>10x!? Damn.
More pretty pictures. More baffling discoveries.
Good news.
Data about planets should be especially interesting, now that scientists are beginning to realize that they're pretty common things.</strong><hr></blockquote>
"10x the efficiency" I didn't read the page but I gather that the light collection is 10x more efficient now not that the magnification is 10x better. I'll go read it now.
[quote]ACS possesses a wide field of view, superb image quality and sensitivity in visible to far ultraviolet wavelengths [...] more than twice the field of view and nearly five times the resolution of the camera it replaces<hr></blockquote>
:cool:
[ 03-02-2002: Message edited by: Amorph ]</p>
<strong>this is gonna be sweet. i wish i could get a hold of that thing--its so incredible. apparently it was sposed to be EOLed already, but since it was so successful, they decided to keep it around fer a few more years. my astronomy profs gonna use it again in a few months--i wonder if he'd let me take a crack at it. </strong><hr></blockquote>
That would be the chance of a lifetime man...I am seriously envious. Even more envious of those who have the mathematical / abstraction abilities of the typical astronomer. Cool stuff. I'd LOVE to do that for a living, unfortunately the ole noodle is not up to scratch.
As for Hubble's EOL, I think it is scheduled to be in service up until about 2010, when the NGT -- which will have even more amazing imaging capabilities -- will arrive in service (hopefully). Never know with Congress; one minute these a-holes are all gung-ho and using it to boost their campaign image, the next minute, spending billions on NASA research is "wasteful."
<strong>
As for Hubble's EOL, I think it is scheduled to be in service up until about 2010, when the NGT -- which will have even more amazing imaging capabilities -- will arrive in service (hopefully). Never know with Congress; one minute these a-holes are all gung-ho and using it to boost their campaign image, the next minute, spending billions on NASA research is "wasteful."</strong><hr></blockquote>
i dont remember the exact year, but my prof said that it was sposed to only last a certain amount of time, but decided to extent the life for 5 years. so...i assume that the original target was 2005, extended to 2010.
<strong>There was some kind of minor malfunction on the shuttle Fran, but they decided to continue with the mission yesterday. In fact, sometime this morning they met up with the HST, got the old mechanical arm out, and brough it "on board." Let the upgrades begin!</strong><hr></blockquote>
good news. <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
In addition to new solar arrays and power management systems over the last couple days, HST now has a new eye into the universe - the afore-mentioned ACS. Soon my friends, soon...I'm looking forward to some sweet web images over the next few weeks!
<a href="http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-updates/latest.html" target="_blank">http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-updates/latest.html</a>
[ 03-07-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]</p>
They did it! This "upgrade" was a daunting task. The HST wasn't designed for upgrades but the engineers and astronauts did it.
Props to NASA. They sometimes are criticized on occasion but this is where they shine.
<conspiracy theory>You think they might have added other devises that watch us too?</conspiracy theory>
Ooop. They aren't finished yet. Another space walk on Friday...coool pic...
[ 03-07-2002: Message edited by: Artman @_@ ]</p>
<strong>
<conspiracy theory>You think they might have added other devises that watch us too?</conspiracy theory></strong><hr></blockquote>
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
(By the way: Your fly is down.)
Photoshop
<a href="http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-updates/chronicles-latest.html" target="_blank">http://sm3b.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission-updates/chronicles-latest.html</a>
And btw, Hubble most definitely WAS designed to be upgradeable - hence the reaosn all of Hubble's original imaging instrumens are now history (the FOC was the last of them, replaced by the ACS we've talked about). Had the HST not been designed to be updated as new technologies emerged, it would've been out of service by now.