Hubble goes into safe mode
Due to a software issue, the Hubble Space Telescope shifted into safe mode early yesterday and stopped doing its programmed science observations.
The engineers seem confident all will eventually be well, but we must also remember the telescope’s infrastructure (not its instruments) was built in the early 1980s and has been in space since 1990. That makes many parts of this telescope 40 years old. We are increasingly faced with the possibility of a fatal fault occurring that shuts it down for good, with no way at the present time to reach it and fix it, and with the only comparable optical space telescope in the works one being built by China to fly in formation with its space station.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Due to a software issue, the Hubble Space Telescope shifted into safe mode early yesterday and stopped doing its programmed science observations.
The engineers seem confident all will eventually be well, but we must also remember the telescope’s infrastructure (not its instruments) was built in the early 1980s and has been in space since 1990. That makes many parts of this telescope 40 years old. We are increasingly faced with the possibility of a fatal fault occurring that shuts it down for good, with no way at the present time to reach it and fix it, and with the only comparable optical space telescope in the works one being built by China to fly in formation with its space station.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Not too bad when you consider that when it took first light, it was fuzzy as hell. I don’t know if I’ve ever been as disappointed as when they figured out is wasn’t a simple collimation problem, but an actual flaw with the primary mirror!
That someone was smart enough to make corrective lens for the collector, and with good old Story Musgrave doing the installation, they made a silk purse out of that sow’s ear. Then we get that wonderful picture of the Eagle Nebula!
So, well done, good and faithful servant.
Wonder what Space X would charge for a service mission?
“Wonder what Space X would charge for a service mission
As everyone knows, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it
“SpaceX StarShip Production Planning…”
“This is Elon…”
“Yessir?!”
“Move the ‘Chomper’ configuration up to first position in the Production flow!”
“Yessir!! Done!”
I think it was a NOVA special that had a bit on how a sliding shower fixture inspired a repair tube. This is why I wanted a side mount SLS back during the SLI days of the 9o’s. Keep the orbiters flying Buran style. Maybe capsule servicing is doable. Starship might retrieve it-but it would knock about. Falcon Heavy with an unmanned tug might shove it to ISS over time. That would save the mirror from stress. You have to baby these things.