WASHINGTON (nasa) – Astronauts on the Space Shuttle Columbia are set to go on the first of five crucial spacewalks Monday to repair the Hubble space telescope.
The astronauts will equip Hubble with new energy-efficient solar panels to generate electricity, a new power control unit, a new imaging camera, and replace other parts. The new equipment is expected to make Hubble 10 times more powerful.
To make the repairs, the astronauts had to turn off the telescope — the first time its power was been cut since Hubble was launched into orbit in 1990.
If the astronauts cannot re-start Hubble, scientists fear it will end the ambitious Hubble project. The telescope has sent back valuable pictures of stars, distant galaxies and other cosmic phenomena.
Sunday, the astronauts used a robot arm to snatch Hubble from orbit and pull it into Columbia’s cargo bay.
