STS-82
This is a mission of the United States Space Shuttle| Space Shuttle program | |
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| Mission Insignia | |
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| Mission Statistics | |
| Mission: | STS-82 |
| Shuttle: | Discovery (Space Shuttle) |
| Launch Pad: | 39-A |
| Launch: | February 11, 1997 3:55:17 am. |
| Landing: | KSC 2/21/97 3:32 am EST. Landing at KSC Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) Runway 33 |
| Duration: | 9 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, 09 seconds. |
| Orbit Altitude: | 360 statute miles |
| Orbit Inclination: | 28.45 degrees |
| Distance Traveled: | 6.5 million miles |
| Crew photo | |
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| Previous Mission: STS-81 |
Next Mission: STS-83 |
| Table of contents |
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2 Mission Highlights 3 Related articles 4 External Links |
Starting on the third day of the mission, the seven-member crew will conduct at least four spacewalks (also called Extravehicular Activities or EVAs) to remove two older instruments and install two new astronomy instruments, as well as other servicing tasks. The two older instruments being replaced are the Goddard High Resolution Spectrometer and the Faint Object Spectrograph. Replacing these instruments are the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). HST's current complement of science instruments includes two cameras, two spectrographs, and fine guidance sensors.
In addition to installing the new instruments, astronauts will replace other existing hardware with upgrades and spares. Hubble will get a refurbished Fine Guidance Sensor, an optical device that is used on HST to provide pointing information for the spacecraft and is used as a scientific instrument for astrometric science. The Solid State Recorder (SSR) will replace one of HST's current reel-to-reel tape recorders. The SSR provides much more flexibility than a reel-to-reel recorder and can store ten times more data. One of Hubble's four Reaction Wheel Assemblies (RWA) will be replaced with a refurbished spare. The RWA is part of Hubble's Pointing Control Subsystem. The RWAs use spin momentum to move the telescope into position. The wheels also maintain the spacecraft in a stable position. The wheel axes are oriented so that the telescope can provide science with only three wheels operating, if required.
Crew
Mission Highlights
Service the Hubble Space Telescope. The STS-82 mission is the second in a series of planned servicing missions to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (HST). HST was placed in orbit on April 24, 1990 by the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-31. The first servicing mission was done by Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-61. Work performed on the telescope will significantly upgrade the scientific capabilities of the HST and keep the telescope functioning smoothly until the next scheduled servicing missions in 1999 and 2002.Related articles
External Links