ASTRONAUTS STILL WORKING ON TELESCOPE.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Discovery's astronauts ventured out for the fourth spacewalk Verb 1. spacewalk - move in space outside a space craft walk - use one's feet to advance; advance by steps; "Walk, don't run!"; "We walked instead of driving"; "She walks with a slight limp"; "The patient cannot walk yet"; "Walk over to the cabinet" in as many nights Sunday to patch insulation on the Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the first large optical orbiting observatory. Built from 1978 to 1990 at a cost of $1.5 billion, the HST (named for astronomer E. P. Hubble) was expected to provide the clearest view yet obtained of the universe. that's peeling off like worn wallpaper. Gregory Harbaugh and Joe Tanner took along swatches of material from emergency kits to cover the damaged thermal insulation, and copper wire for fastening the pieces to the telescope. There was not enough time to do all the repairs, so NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. ordered the crew to conduct an extra spacewalk, tonight, to finish covering the torn insulation. The repair was not considered urgent, but scientists did not want to wait until the next servicing mission in late 1999. Additional sun damage to the insulation could allow Hubble's electronics to overheat o·ver·heat v. o·ver·heat·ed, o·ver·heat·ing, o·ver·heats v.tr. 1. To heat too much. 2. To cause to become excited, agitated, or overstimulated. v.intr. and could unbalance its mirrors. ``We've got a $2 billion investment here,'' said Ed Weiler, NASA's chief Hubble scientist. ``Why take a chance?'' Sunday night's spacewalk was supposed to be for equipping Hubble with new drive electronics for its solar panels and sturdier caps for its two magnetometers, part of the guidance system. Mission Control added some of the mending to the spacewalk. The bulk of insulation repairs will be conducted during the newly scheduled spacewalk tonight by Mark Lee and Steven Smith. |
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