Shuttle Atlantis Snags Hubble

Spacewalk is second of five planned

(AP) - Astronauts from the shuttle Atlantis headed out for another spacewalk today, this time to give the Hubble telescope some new gyroscopes and batteries. The gyroscopes—a top priority—are part of the telescope pointing system, and half of the old ones are broken. The two space walkers ventured out as the shuttle and telescope sailed 350 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. "It is a beautiful day outside," one said. More»

The final mission to repair the telescope will finish Tuesday

(AP) - Spacewalking astronauts ventured out today to finish repairs on the Hubble Space Telescope, never to be touched by human hands again. It was the fifth and final spacewalk for the crew of the shuttle Atlantis, and the final planned visit by astronauts, ever, to Hubble. The astronauts outfitted Hubble with two state-of-the-art science instruments totaling $220 million that should allow the telescope to peer as far back as 13 billion years. More»

Astronauts complete final spacewalk

(NEWSER) - Astronauts from the space shuttle Atlantis finished the final spacewalk of their mission at the International Space Station today, clearing the way for their return Wednesday. Astronauts Robert Satcher and Randy Bresnik installed a science experiment that will test how materials, including a new kind of Teflon, hold up to the rigors of space. The pair also installed an oxygen tank on the station’s Quest airlock, Space.com reports. More»

Spacewalk becomes sixth longest in history

(NEWSER) - Yesterday was a frustratingly long day in space as Atlantis astronauts struggled to fix a long-broken spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. They ultimately succeeded, but a stuck bolt and dead battery prolonged the spacewalk to 8 hours—making it the sixth longest in history, Space.com reports. Astronauts also ran out of time to insulate Hubble, but may attempt to do so on today's fifth and final spacewalk. More»

(NEWSER) - The Hubble space telescope got some improved vision today in the form of a new camera. Two Atlantis astronauts completed a seven-hour spacewalk to give the 19-year-old telescope a much-needed upgrade, Space.com reports. "Woo-hoo, it's moving out," said astronaut Andrew Feustel after the old camera refused to budge at first. The spacewalk is the first of five planned over the shuttle's 11-day mission to service Hubble. More»