Comments on: Hubble in safe mode

By: Blair Ivey

Blair Ivey — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 22:58:46 +0000

I had thought that perhaps NASA might use ring-laser gyroscopes (no moving parts), but it turns out that those ‘scopes have a MTBF (mean time between failure) of around 60,000 hours; meaning replacement about every 6 1/2 years. The remaining Hubble gyroscopes have been operating for well in excess of 130,000 hours. Hubble uses gas-bearing gyroscopes, which are the most accurate available. ESA has an explanation and diagram here (https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Gas_bearing_system),

and a paper dealing with space vehicle gyroscope applications is here (https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19730003953/downloads/19730003953.pdf).

The .pdf is from 1972, but details all of the gyroscopes in use, including gas-bearing. The relevant section for this thread is 2.5.2.2. Note that in 1972, copies of the paper sold for $3, or a little more than $22 today.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 21:00:18 +0000

In reply to Ronaldus Magnus.

Ronaldus Magnus: The last shuttle mission in 2009 attached a grapple fixture so that future repair missions could grab the telescope in a more standard manner, since the shuttle’s robot arm and cargo bay docking port were no longer available. That fixture could definitely be used by a tug to keep Hubble in orbit.

It was added to facilitate the de-orbit mission that NASA planned. I have always said that this mission would become a mission to keep Hubble flying. I still think my prediction will be right.

By the way, any tourist hotel would have to be kept a certain distance away. Scientists originally considered flying Hubble in formation with the space station (as China is doing with its optical telescope) but decided the nearby presence of a manned station could interfere with the telescope.

By: Ronaldus Magnus

Ronaldus Magnus — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 20:42:09 +0000

Robert, until SpaceX/NASA can work on Hubble, could an orbital tug, or some other contraption with more gyros, be attached to Hubble for a short term workaround?

If and when we actually save/upgrade Hubble, imagine the current technology/hardware available. Hubble was designed for maintenance and upgrades. Forgive my layman’s phraseology. Large black boxes (with all the hardware inside) can be changed out. Less to perform with each spacewalk. I’m not saying it’s ‘easy’ but it is more efficient.

Just imagine some future capitalism in space project, where a space station / hotel is constructed near a still functional Hubble Space Telescope. Rooms with a view of Hubble will be popular.

By: Max

Max — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:44:45 +0000

If asked, Elon would probably donate a falcon for the rendezvous and space walk. His engineering team could probably throw together with the needed components along with a boom to attach to hold everything still. What a great PR move it would be, that hasn’t been seen since launching a Tesla into space.
But then he will soon have the capabilities of launching a new Hubble telescope with 100 times the capabilities.

Looking at the bar galaxy in high-resolution, I see an unusual number of red stars along with the bright ones in our own galaxy. Although the faint galaxies are rather fuzzy, there are two unusual objects in the picture.
The bottom right has a large red object with a white halo, looking like a face looking through a toilet seat with red hair.
The other in the top left next to the edge of the frame is a binary system that looks like the stars are touching with a third object nearby… Three body problem? Cool pic.

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:19:26 +0000

Particularly this day.

By: Richard M

Richard M — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:31:05 +0000

Jared Isaacman’s proposed mission to service and reboost Hubble sounds a little better every day.