Hubble Up Close: Five Repairs in Orbit

On STS-61 in 1993, Story Musgrave and Jeffrey Hoffman replaced Hubble’s 281-kilogram camera with WFPC-2; the shuttle crew tilted Hubble forward so its aperture door could be reached by the robotic arm.

On STS-61 in 1993, Kathy Thornton and Thomas Akers installed COSTAR, Hubble’s corrective-optics unit, after removing the 221-kilogram High Speed Photometer; a power ratchet opened its access door.

On STS-82 in 1997, Greg Harbaugh and Joe Tanner laced thermal blankets over damaged insulation near Hubble’s aperture, working beneath its sunshade; they also replaced the jury-rigged magnetometer covers.

On STS-82 in 1997, shuttle maneuvering jets raised Hubble to a slightly higher orbit while Mark Lee and Steve Smith replaced its worn Reaction Wheel Assembly, a spacecraft pointing-control unit.