Space Shuttle “Atlantis” (or the proper name Space Transportation System “Atlantis”) is all set to leave Planet Earth for the final service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on May 1. The Mission is named Service Mission 4 (SM-4) as it is the 4th and final service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, to keep it operational until 2014. Over the course of five EVAs or Spacewalks as they are commonly known, astronauts will install the Wide Field Camera 3 and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. They will also repair the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. (Image above shows Atlantis and Endeavour at the Kennedy Space Centre on September 23, 2008)
The Wide Field Camera will be the most advanced visible spectrum imaging device aboard the Hubble Telescope. It will give us ordinary people the chance to look at amazing images and remain in awe. Hubble is all set to replaced in 2013 by the James Webb Space Telescope, which will be an infrared imaging telescope. So no more amazing Eagle Nebula’s for us.
Originally, the mission was planned for 14 October 2008. However on 27 September 2008, the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling (SIC&DH) Unit failed aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The unit handles transmission of all scientific data to Earth. This forced NASA to delay the mission, in order to prepare the replacements for the failed SIC&DH as well.
The mission is a high risk mission as Atlantis would be unable to reach the ISS in the event of its heat shield becoming damaged during launch. Since the loss of STS Columbia, a rescue mission has always been planned in event of failure. STS-400 will be the contingency plan mission and is planned for Endeavour. Since STS-124 in May, 2008 the ISS has the capability of handling the crew of a mission whose Shuttle or Soyuz spacecraft became damaged during flight. Nevertheless, a contingency mission is not only planned but prepared well and is present on a parallel launch pad all the time.
And in the words of NASA, “And, for the space shuttle, it’s a final visit to a dear, old friend“. All the best to the crew of Atlantis and Goodbye, Hubble.
Mission Homepage : NASA
