Hubble’s Servicing Mission 3A

What was originally conceived as a mission of preventive maintenance turned more urgent on November 13, 1999, when the fourth of six gyros failed and Hubble temporarily closed its eyes on the universe. Unable to conduct science without three working gyros, Hubble entered a state of dormancy called safe mode. Essentially, Hubble "went to sleep" while it waited for help.

NASA decided to split the Third Servicing Mission (SM3) into two parts, SM3A and SM3B, after the third of Hubble's six gyroscopes failed. In accordance with NASA's flight rules, a "call-up" mission was quickly approved and developed and executed in a record 7 months!

The crew of STS-103 including astronauts Curtis L. Brown Jr., Scott J. Kelly, John M. Grunsfeld, Jean-François Clervoy, Michael Foale, Steven L. Smith, and Claude Nicollier ensured that the Hubble Space Telescope continued its mission into the 21st century.

For more information, visit https://nasa.gov/hubble.

Music Credits:
"Illuminations" by Aleksander Terris [SACEM] via Koka Media [SACEM], Universal Publishing Production Music France [SACEM] and Universal Production Music.

“Castle Road” by Laurent Dury [SACEM ]via Koka Media [SACEM], Universal Publishing Production Music France [SACEM] and Universal Production Music.

“Urgent Pizzicati” by Fabrice Ravel Chapuis [SACEM] via Koka Media [SACEM], Universal Publishing Production Music France [SACEM] and Universal Production Music.

“Royal Legacy” by Laurent Dury [SACEM] via Koka Media [SACEM], Universal Publishing Production Music France [SACEM] and Universal Production Music.

“A Fresh Perspective” by Stephen Daniel Lemaire [ASCAP] via El Murmullo Sarao [SGAE], Universal Sarao [SGAE] and Universal Production Music.

Motion Graphics Template Media Credits:
Lower Thirds Auto Self Resizing by cayman via Motion Array

Old TV Graphic by SVZUL via Motion Array