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STS-125: The mission

A detailed step-by-step preview of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to extend the life and vision of the Hubble Space Telescope.

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STS-125: The EVAs

The lead spacewalk officer provides indepth explanations of the five EVAs to service Hubble during Atlantis' flight.

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STS-125: The crew

The seven shuttle Atlantis astronauts hold a press conference one month before their planned launch to Hubble.

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STS-125: NASA leaders

The leaders of NASA's Space Operations and Science directorates give their insights into the upcoming shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

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STS-125: Shuttle boss

The head of NASA's space shuttle program discusses the risks and plans for Atlantis' trek to Hubble.

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The Hubble program

An overview of the Hubble Space Telescope program and the planning that has gone into the final servicing mission.

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Hubble's future science

The new instruments to be installed into Hubble and the future science objectives for the observatory are previewed.

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Meet the Hubble crew

Meet the crew launching on Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope and learn how each became an astronaut in this special biography movie.

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Astronauts install insulation panels to complete servicing
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: May 18, 2009

Astronaut John Grunsfeld removed tattered insulation from the Hubble Space Telescope today and installed cookie sheet-like panels in its place over three equipment bays to complete the final objectives of a five-spacewalk overhaul.


Grunsfeld moves an insulation cover toward Hubble. Credit: NASA TV
 
"That's about all the new equipment we have to install," astronaut Dan Burbank called from Houston. "You guys have done it all."

"A great effort all around," Atlantis skipper Scott Altman agreed. "You hear that guys? You've done it all."

"WE'VE done it all," Andrew Feustel corrected.

"Not yet, I'm still working," Grunsfeld said, attaching the final panel. "But it's been a great (achievement) up here."

Atlantis launched with three sets of new outer blanket layer - NOBL - insulation, but only two were originally included in the crew's flight plan. The first panel, bound for equipment bay 8, was deleted from a spacewalk Sunday when the crew ran long completing an instrument repair.

Grunsfeld and Feustel started today's spacewalk nearly an hour early to allow time to get as much insulation work done as possible after installing a final set of batteries and a fine guidance sensor. As it turned out, the spacewalkers had no problems with the new equipment and they were able to install insulation over three of Hubble's equipment bays.

"John if you're done monkeying around with the telescope, I'll take you back to the airlock," astronaut Megan McArthur, operating Atlantis' robot arm, said around 1:45 p.m.

On the way, she paused and Grunsfeld could be seen holding a camera, taking a self-portrait with the Hubble Space Telescope in the background.

"This is a very beautiful spaceship," he said softly.

The new insulation panels clearly were needed. The flimsy insulation over bay 8 was tattered and flaking away after years in the extreme environment of space.

"OK, this one's going to be interesting," Grunsfeld said as he approached bay 8. "Ah, it's a mess. ... I'll peel off a corner and put a clip on the MLI (multi-layer insulation) where it's strong and then try to roll it up all together."

A few minutes later, carefully trying to remove the old insulation, Grunsfeld said "OK, I've lost one piece, it's floating towards the cabin away from the telescope."

"Yep, we can see it," someone said.

"OK, the clip's on there," Grunsfeld continued. It looks nice... Definitely floating towards, it'll go right overhead you guys. It's going to miss the solar arrays. A '2001: A Space Odyssey' thing. ... Bueno, I think it's going to be hopeless to try and preserve any of these patches. I'm going to go back to your plan, stuffing them in the bag."

"There's nothing left of them," someone said.

A few minutes later, another piece broke away.

"Another piece just went by my WVS (helmet cam), probably three by three, going out over the port wing," Feustel said.

"Yep, there goes the other big piece. Lost a big one..."

"Oh yeah," Megan McArthur said from the flight deck.

"A large piece coming forward..." someone said.

"It looks like it went over the solar array," Feustel said.

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