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NASA - STS-109

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STS109 Mission:HubbleSpaceTelescopeServicingMission SpaceShuttle:Columbia LaunchPad:39A Launched:March1,2002,6:22a.m.EST LandingSite:KennedySpaceCenter,Florida Landing:March12,2002,4:33:05a.m.EST Runway:33 RolloutDistance:10,119feet RolloutTime:77seconds Revolution:165 MissionDuration:10days,22hours,11minutesand9seconds MilesTraveled:3.9million CrewMembers

Imageabove:STS109CrewphotowithCommanderScottD.Altman,PilotDuaneG.Carey,PayloadCommanderJohn M.Grunsfeld,MissionSpecialistsNancyJ.Currie,JamesH.Newman,RichardM.LinnehanandMichaelJ.Massimino. ImageCredit:NASA LaunchHighlights Priortotankingactivities,thescheduledlaunchonFebruary28waspostponed24hourstoMarch1when thelaunchweatherforecastprojected38degreetemperatureatthelaunchpad,whichwasatthemargin oftheacceptablelimitincombinationwiththepredictedwindspeedandrelativehumidity.Theforecastfor alaunchattemptonFridaycalledforatemperatureapproximately10degreeswarmer.Waitingan additional24hoursprotectedtheoptionfortwopossiblebacktobacklaunchopportunitiesforthelaunch team.LaunchoccurredwithoutdelayonMarch1. MissionHighlights The11daymissionrejuvenatedtheHubbleSpaceTelescopeinaseriesoffivespacewalks.Aftergraspingthetelescope andpullingitintothepayloadbay,thespacewalkers,assistedbyMissionSpecialistNancyJaneCurrieoperatingthe shuttle'sroboticarm,installednewandimprovedequipmentthatgavethetelescopemorepower,anewmoduleto dispensethepower,andacameralabletoseetwiceasmucharea,withmorespeedandclarity.Theyalsoinstalledan
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experimentalcoolingsysteminhopeofrestoringlifetotheNearInfraredCameraandMultiObjectSpectrometer. Columbiaperformedperfectly. EVANo.1:7hours,1minuteMissionSpecialistsJohnGrunsfeldandRickLinnehanremovedtheoldstarboardsolar arrayfromHubbleandinstalledinitsplaceanewthirdgenerationsolararray.Thetwospacewalkersweremaneuvered aroundColumbia'spayloadbayandHubbletelescopebytheshuttle'sroboticarm,manipulatedbyMissionSpecialist NancyCurrie.FromtheaftflightdeckofColumbia,astronautsMichaelMassiminoandJamesNewmanassistedthe spacewalkersthroughouttheirtasks.TheoldsolararraywasstoredinColumbia'spayloadbayforreturntoEarthand evaluationofitsnineyearperformance. EVANo.2:7hours,16minutesMissionSpecialistsNewmanandMassiminoinstalledanewportsolararrayandanew ReactionWheelAssemblyonHubbleafterremovingtheoldsolararray.Again,thespacewalkersusedtheroboticarmto gettoandfromtheworksite.NewmanandMassiminoalsohadtimetoinstallathermalblanketonBay6,doorstop extensionsonBay5,andfootrestraintstoprepareforthethirdspacewalkbyGrunsfeldandLinnehan.Testingtwobolts onthetelescope'saftshrouddoors,theydeterminedthatbottomtwoboltsrequiredreplacementandtheycompletedthat task. DuringthespacewalkCommanderAltmanandPilotCareydocumentedtheactivityusingtelevisionandstillphoto cameras. EVANo.3:6hours,48minutesAwaterleakinGrunsfeld'sspacesuitdelayedthestartofthethirdEVA.Afterswapping theupperportionofthesuit,heandLinnehanbeganworktoreplacetheoriginal,12yearoldPowerControlUnitwitha newonecapableofhandlingtheextra20percentofpoweroutputbeinggeneratedfromthenewlyinstalledsolarpanels. Forthefirsttimesinceitslaunch,HubblewaspowereddownbycontrollersattheSpaceTelescopeOperationsControl Center,Greenbelt,Maryland.Linnehanfirstremoved30of36connectorsontheoldPCUthenswitchedplaceswith GrunsfeldtopreparethenewPCU.GrunsfeldunhookedtheremainingsixconnectorsandeasedthePCUfromthe telescope,carryingittothepayloadbay.MissionSpecialistCurrieagainworkedtheroboticarmtomaneuverthe spacewalkers.GrunsfeldtheninstalledthenewPCUonthetelescopeandconnectorswerematedanhourandahalf later.AnhourlaterthenewPCUpasseditsalivenesstest. EVANo.4:7hours,18minutesMissionSpecialistsJamesNewmanandMichaelMassiminocompletedthefirstscience instrumentupgradeoftheservicingmissionbyinstallingtheAdvancedCameraforSurveysitreplacedtheoriginalFaint ObjectCamera.Afterward,MassiminoinstalledtheElectronicSupportModule,thefirstpartofanexperimentalcooling systemtobeinstalledonEVANo.5. EVANo.5:7hours,32minutesOnthefinalspacewalk,MissionSpecialistsGrunsfeldandLinnehanremovedthe NICMOScryocoolerfromitscarrierinthepayloadbayandinstalleditinsidetheaftshroud,connectingcablesfromthe ElectronicsSupportModule.TheyretrievedtheCoolingSystemRadiatorfromthepayloadbayandinstalleditonthe outsideofHubble.LinnehanfedtheradiatorwiresthroughthebottomofthetelescopetoGrunsfeld,whoconnectedthem toNICMOS. TheHubbleSpaceTelescopewasreleasedfromthegraspofColumbia'sroboticarmat5:04a.m.ESTMarch9.The seriesofspacewalkstoinstallthenewandupgradedequipmentsetanewrecordforasingleshuttlemissionwithatotal timeof35hours,55minutes.Thepreviousrecordwas35hours,28minutes,setbySTS61,thefirstHubbleservicing mission. Afterasuccessfullaunch,flightcontrollersinMissionControlnoticedadegradedflowrateinoneoftwofreoncooling loopsthathelptodissipateheatfromtheorbiter.Afterreviewingtheloop'sperformance,missionmanagersgavethecrew a"go"toproceedwithnormaloperations.Theproblemhadnoimpactonanyofthecrew'sactivities.Bothcoolingloops performednormallyondeorbitandlanding.

NASA'sJohnF.KennedySpaceCenter

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