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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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Astronauts Release Hubble on Final Run

Telescope to go where no one has gone before, never return

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(AP) – Atlantis' astronauts gingerly dropped the Hubble Space Telescope overboard today, sending the restored observatory off on a new voyage of discovery and bidding it farewell on behalf of the planet, reports the AP. The shuttle and telescope had just crossed the Atlantic, and were soaring 350 miles above the coast of northwestern Africa, when astronaut Megan McArthur used a robot arm to release the snares gripping Hubble. Then the shuttle slowly backed away.

"Hubble has been released," reported the mission commander. "It's safely back on its journey of exploration as we begin steps to conclude ours." Hubble, considered better than new following five days of repairs and upgrades, will never be seen up close by humans again. During five days of spacewalks, Atlantis' crew labored tirelessly on the 19-year-old observatory, attaching new instruments and fixing old ones. Their work should give Hubble another five to 10 years.

Astronauts John Grunsfeld, left, and Andrew Feustel participate in the mission's fifth and final spacewalk to refurbish and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope on Monday May 18, 2009.
Astronauts John Grunsfeld, left, and Andrew Feustel participate in the mission's fifth and final spacewalk to refurbish and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope on Monday May 18, 2009.   ((AP Photo/NASA))
Astronaut John Grunsfeld, STS-125 mission specialist, positioned on a foot restraint on the end of Atlantis' remote manipulator system (RMS), on Monday May 18, 2009.
Astronaut John Grunsfeld, STS-125 mission specialist, positioned on a foot restraint on the end of Atlantis' remote manipulator system (RMS), on Monday May 18, 2009.   ((AP Photo/NASA))
In this image from NASA TV, the Hubble Space Telescope, top, is lifted by the Shuttle Atlantis' robotic arm out of the shuttle's cargo bay Tuesday, May 19, 2009, in preparation for its release.
In this image from NASA TV, the Hubble Space Telescope, top, is lifted by the Shuttle Atlantis' robotic arm out of the shuttle's cargo bay Tuesday, May 19, 2009, in preparation for its release.   ((AP Photo/NASA TV))
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8 comments
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Timinator2K
May 19, 09 12:21 PM CDT
WAAAAY TO GO, ATLANTIS ASTRONUTS! Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
TerrifiedCitizen
May 19, 09 12:22 PM CDT
Sorry... but the answer is so crystal clear; end NASA and have enough money to feed starving children. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
-2
IN RESPONSE:
psycada
May 19, 09 12:58 PM CDT
Please stop saying this. It is dumbassery at it's finest. NASA is necessary whether you understand why or not. If you want to feed the poor, why not advocate to closing our bases and bringing our damn troops home where they belong. The US unnecessarily has bases and troops in over 100 countries, when they only need to be in a 5-10 tops. More dumbassery at its finest.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
DarkFrancis
May 19, 09 6:04 PM CDT
Yes, that's how it works...if NASA were closed down, all the starving children would be fed. There's not enough money otherwise. We still need the instruments of war tho'.
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0
kokuaguy
May 19, 09 1:53 PM CDT
NASA is not as important as the idea of advancing science and human discovery. The debate should be about doing it with robotics for the time being or far less efficiently with human astronauts. Likewise, a truly international space program must be created. It is a crime for nations like India with millions of starving citizens to be duplicating our space efforts, or China's for that matter. As for North Korea.... well, I'll save that for another post. Reply
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