Space-walking astronauts complete Hubble telescope repairs
- 00:02:15
- ITN
Space-walking astronauts complete Hubble telescope repairs
The crew from the space shuttle Atlantis has completed repairs on the Hubble Space Telescope after a seven-hour spacewalk. As the final and fifth spacewalk drew to a close, Hubble's chief mechanic, John Grunsfeld, accidentally bumped one of the telescope's antennas and knocked off its cap with his backpack. "Oh, I feel terrible," he groaned. Mission Control quickly assured the astronauts the antenna was fine. The observatory was fitted with another set of fresh batteries, a new sensor for precise pointing and protective covers. That equipment, along with other improvements made over the last five days, should allow the telescope to provide dazzling views of the universe for another five to ten years. Hubble was launched in 1990 with a projected lifetime of 15 years.
ITN | May 19, 2009
