A Bad Fix for Hubble? - Robotic repair may be riskier than first thought

Published: Dec 27, 2004
Source: www.sciam.com



The decision to repair the Hubble Space Telescope with robotics technology seemed a natural given the safety concerns raised by the crash of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. That way the observatory prized by scientists and admired by the public could function for at least five more years with upgraded sensors. And all the experience gained by using teleoperated manipulators would form the basis of future semiautonomous servicing operations in space.

Now, however, independent analyses have cast fresh doubts on whether a robotic mission can reliably save Hubble...continue..