>> HEY, WE'RE LIVE AT NASA'S
GODDARD SPACE CENTER AND WE'RE
INSIDE THE ROBOTICS OPERATION
CENTER.
THERE'S SOME OF THE TOOLS AND
TECHNOLOGY FOR ROBOTIC
SERVICING.
SO WE'RE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
HUBBLE SERVICING TODAY.
25 YEARS AGO THE FIRST ASTRONAUT
MISSION TO THE HUBBLE SPACE
TELESCOPE TO UPGRADE ITS
COMPONENTS LAUNCHED AND WE'RE
HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND
SATELLITE SERVICING PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE.
SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT IS
SATELLITE SERVICING?
THE SAME WAY YOU TAKE YOUR CAR
IN TO GET SERVICED TO GET THE
TIRES ROTATED, THE OIL CHANGED
OR FUELED UP.
SOMETIMES OUR SATELLITES IN
SPACE NEED A LITTLE HELP.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE GOT
ASTRONAUTS AND TOOLS AND
ROBOTICS MAY ALL COME IN.
I'M SURE YOU'VE GOT A TON OF
QUESTIONS AND I DO, TOO.
SEND THEM IN TO #ASK NASA FROM
TWITTER, INSTAGRAM AND TWITCH.
WE HAVE GOT OUR FIRST GUEST, YOU
MAY HAVE HEARD OF HIM, CHARLIE
BOLDEN, AND HE'S A FORMER
ASTRONAUT AND HERE AT NASA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, TELL OUR
AUDIENCE WHY WE PUT SATELLITES
INTO SPACE.
>> EVERYBODY THINKS ABOUT TV AND
FAR MORE THAN THAT WE USE IT FOR
DISASTER PLANNING AND RELIEF.
USE IT TO HELP FARMERS WHEN
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
MUCH TO WATER THEIR FIELDS.
WE CAN GET THAT DATA THROUGH
SATELLITES.
VERY SIMPLE THINGS LIKE MAKING
YOUR FITBIT WORK AND OTHER KINDS
OF STUFF, THAT'S SATELLITE DATA.
WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS
IS MADE SATELLITES MORE AND MORE
CAPABLE, AS YOU MENTIONED
EARLIER IN YOUR INTRO, SUCH THAT
THEY DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT
WE WANT HUMANS TO BE ABLE TO DO,
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO PUT THE
HUMANS AT RISK.
SO, SATELLITES AND ROBOTIC
DEVICES HAVE ENABLED US TO GET
INTO PLACES WHERE IF IT WEREN'T
FOR THE SATELLITE WE'D PROBABLY
HAVE TO SEND A HUMAN TO GET THE
ANSWERS THAT WE WANT.
>> HUBBLE WAS DESIGNED TO BE
SERVICES AND WE SEND ASTRONAUTS
UP FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES TO DO
SO.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES A HUMAN
SERVICING MISSION LOOK LIKE?
>> WELL, I DID NOT FLY ON ONE OF
THE SERVICING MISSIONS.
I WAS THE PILOT ON SCS 31 WHEN
IT NEEDED TO BE SERVICE, IT HAD
A SPHERICAL ABBERATION TO CAUSE
IT TO NEED GLASSES LIKE I DO.
AND WE HAD A DEVICE THAT WAS A
BIG TELEPHONE BOOTH LOOKING
THINGS WITH OPTICS, AND REMOVE
THE INSTRUMENTS AND PUT THE NEW
OPTICS IN AND REPLACE THE SOLAR
ARRAYS AND GET IT WORKING AND
SEEING THE WAY THAT IT WAS
INTENDED WHEN WII FIRST WERE UP
THERE AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF
THE FIRST SERVICING MISSION.
AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN TERRIBLY
LONG AFTER IT LAUNCHED.
>> DEPENDS HOW YOU LOOK AT IT,
FROM THE STANDPOINT OF NASA AND
ASTRONOMERS AND GETTING DATA
FROM HUBBLE, TOOK WITH A TOO
LONG.
FROM SOMEBODY AT GODDARD,
PLANNING THE MISSIONS, IT WAS
PRETTY QUICK.
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE
NEEDED TO DO, WHAT KIND OF TOOLS
WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH AND
YOU'RE GOING TO TALK TO A COUPLE
OF THEM, JEFF AND JOHN LATER,
WHO HAD BEEN WITH HUBBLE YEARS
BEFORE WE FLEW IT AND ENVISIONED
THE KIND OF TOOLS YOU WOULD NEED
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO CERTAIN
OPERATIONS, CHANGING BATTERIES,
GYROS AND SOLAR ARRAYS.
AND COLD STAR WAS NOT IN THE
PLANS AND THE FOLKS GOT HERE AND
TOOK EXTRA TIME DESIGNING THE
NEW TOOLS WE WOULD NEED AND THE
TACTICS, TECHNIQUES AND
PROCEDURES THAT THE ASTRONAUTS
NEEDED WHEN THEY GOT TO THE
TELESCOPE.
>> YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING
HISTORY WITH NASA.
AN ASTRONAUT AND DEPLOYED HUBBLE
AND AN AN ADMINISTRATOR.
TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.
>> SOMETIMES I THINK THE
PRESIDENT LOOKED BACK WHO DID
THE WORST CAUSING US TROUBLE.
BUT I WAS PRIVILEGED TO SERVE
FOR ALMOST ALL EIGHT YEARS OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S YEARS AS NASA
ADMINISTRATOR.
LEADING UP TO THAT I HAD TIME TO
SPEND TIME AT GODDARD AND SIT IN
AND BE BRIEFED ON A LOT OF THE
ROBOTIC MISSIONS THAT WE WANTED
TO FLY.
THINGS LIKE RESTORE THAT WERE
HERE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO
SERVICE IS SATELLITE THAT MAYBE
NEEDED TO BE REFUELED OR
SERVICED BECAUSE SOME COMPONENT
WASN'T WORKING AND WE GOT TO SEE
QUITE A BIT OF THAT DURING MY
TIME AS A NASA ADMINISTRATOR AND
IT WAS CHALLENGING.
>> SO THE LAST SERVICING
MISSION.
>> YEAH.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A
MAYBE DO-MAYBE DON'T SITUATION,
TELL THAT.
>> SEEMS TO POP UP IN THE
STRANGEST PLACES.
>> AFTER I RETIRED FROM THE
MARINE CORPS IN 2003,
UNFORTUNATELY THE NEXT MONTH WE
HAD THE COLUMBIA ACCIDENT AND
THAT CAUSED THE PRESIDENT--
THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR AT THE
TIME TO CANCEL THE HUBBLE
SERVICING MISSION THAT WAS
SCHEDULED AND IT WAS GOING TO BE
THE LAST PLANNED MISSION.
WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO USE
ROBOTIC THE TO SERVICE THE
SATELLITE AND--
OR THE OBSERVATORY AND I SERVED
ON A COMMITTEE THAT ACTUALLY
LOOKED AT IT AND THE TECHNOLOGY
WASN'T THERE AT THE TIME AND WE
HAD TO GO IN AND TALK TO THE
NASA ADMINISTRATOR AND EXPLAIN
TO HIM THE SAFEST AND SUREST WAY
TO SAVE HUBBLE WAS TO ACCEPT THE
RISK OF FLYING ONE MORE CRUDE
MISSION TO SERVICE HUBBLE AND
THAT ONE LIKE THE LAST TWO WAS
ABOUT AS AMBITIOUS AS YOU COULD
GET, WE HAD FIVE DAYS IN A ROW
OF BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO BACK
EVA'S WITH TREMENDOUS CREWS AND
THINGS GOING WRONG EVERY ONCE IN
A WHILE.
BECAUSE YOU HAD THE COMBINATION
OF PEOPLE ON BOARD WE WORKED
THROUGH IT AND HAD TWO
INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS
AND LEFT HUBBLE IN MUCH BETTER
SHAPE TODAY THAN I THINK IT WAS
ENVISIONED TO BE BY ITS ORIGINAL
DESIGNERS.
>> AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHEN IT
COMES TO SATELLITE SERVICING IS
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
BECAUSE IT WAS QUITE A FEAT.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
FALLS IN ON THE TIMELINE OF NEAR
THE FIRST SERVICING MISSION TO
HUBBLE AND EVOLUTION OF
SERVICING?
>> SOME PEOPLE REMEMBER, WE
WERE--
WHEN WE DID THE FIRST SERVICING
MISSION TO HUBBLE.
WE WERE LOOKING AT A SPACE
STATION, THERE WAS NO CONCEPT OF
AN INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
ACTUALLY THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION CAME SOME TIME LATER,
BUT WHAT IT DID ALLOW US TO DO
WHEN WE FINALLY MADE THE
DECISION WITH OUR PARTNER
AGENCIES AND THERE ARE FIVE
PARTNER AGENCIES INCLUDING THE
U.S., WHEN THE DECISION WAS
FINALLY MADE TO BUILD THE SPACE
STATION, ONE OF THE SIDE
BENEFITS OF IT WAS IT GAVE US A
PLATFORM WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY
DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THE NEW
TECHNOLOGIES IN ROBOTICS, FOR
EXAMPLE THE ROBOTIC REFUELING
MISSION, SOMETHING A PRIZE OF
THE FOLK HERE AT GODDARD AND I
UNDERSTAND WE JUST LAUNCHED RM
3.
SO WE HAVE NOW LEARNED HOW TO
REMOVE CAPS AND REPLACE CAPS, TO
CLIP WIRES AND TWIST WIRES AND
NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO
ACTUALLY USE THE MISSION TO
REFUEL THE LAND SET SATELLITE
MAYBE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO
DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN IN FACT
TRANSFER CRYO GENIC MATERIAL AND
PROBABLY THE NEXT STEP WE NEED
TO DO A COMPLETELY ROBOTIC
MISSION TO SERVICE A SATELLITE
ON ORBIT WHICH IS SOMETHING WE
REALLY WANT TO DO.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
PROVIDE THE LABORATORY OR
WORKSHOP IN SPACE TO GIVE US
VERY GOOD CONFIDENCE THE THINGS
WE SAW IN THE LAB REALLY WERE
GOING TO WORK WHEN WE GOT THEM
INTO THE MICROGRAVITY OF SPACE.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT QUESTIONS FOR
YOU COMING IN, BUT I UNDERSTAND
THAT WE'RE GOING TO MEET UP WITH
YOU AGAIN LATER SO HOLD OFF AND
LET PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SEND IN
THEIR QUESTIONS.
>> GREAT.
>> AND CHARLIE'S GOT A ROBOT
DEMO LATER.
>> I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL SPEND
A LOT OF TIME WITH JOHN AND JEFF
HOFFMAN AND SHOW THAT SO I DON'T
HAVE THE CHANCE TO SCREW UP THE
ROBOT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
AS A PILOT I DIDN'T GET AN
OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE ROBOT,
BUT I'LL PLY MY TRADE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DOWN THERE
LATER, BUT SEND IN YOUR
QUESTIONS AND WE'LL GET TO THEM
THROUGHOUT THE SHOW USE THE #ASK
NASA, WE'RE ON TWITTER,
FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITCH.
LIKE CHARLIE ALSO MENTIONED
WE'VE GOT TWO OF THE HUBBLE
ASTRONAUTS HERE WITH US TODAY
THAT ACTUALLY WENT UP AND
SERVICED THE TELESCOPE MULTIPLE
TIMES.
WE'VE GOT JOHN GRUNSFELD AND
JOHN HOFFMAN WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, GUYS.
>> GREAT TO BE BACK AT GODDARD
AND SPENT HAPPY HOURS GETTING
READY FOR THE FIRST MISSION.
>> JOHN SPENT MORE TIME.
>> I ALWAYS LOVE TO PLAY WITH
TOOLS.
>> I'M SURE YOU DO.
WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OVER HERE AND
LOOKS LIKE YOU MAY KNOW WHAT TO
DO WITH THEM.
IF YOU DON'T MIND SHOWING OUR
VIEWERS.
>> SURE.
YOU SEE THE SIGN, ESP WORK AREA
AND I DON'T WANT TO SHOCK, BUT
YOU YOU KNOW HOW YOU RUB ON A
RUG AND TOUCH THE DOOR HANDLE
AND GET THE SPARK?
THERE'S SENSITIVE STUFF BACK
HERE, ELECTRONICS AND TOOLS THAT
WE DON'T WANT TO BREAK AND WE
ARE GOING TO PUT ON WRISTBANDS
BECAUSE THAT'S THAT PUTS THE
ELECTRICITY TO GROUND AND WE
DON'T WANT DUST TO GET INTO THE
DELICATE COMPONENTS SO WE'LL PUT
ON SMALL POX SO WE DON'T GET
THEM DIRTY.
>> PUT ON THE WRISTBANDS.
AND--
>> AWESOME.
>> NOW, OF COURSE, WHEN WE'RE
WORKING WITH HUBBLE ON THE
INSTRUMENTS THERE WAS A LOT OF
VERY, VERY SENSITIVE OPTICS, SO,
CONTAMINATION WAS CRITICAL.
WE HAD TO PUT ON MORON THAT THE
SMOCKS, FULL HEAD GEAR.
I HAD A MUSTACHE AT THE TIME AND
JOHN STILL HAS, AND THAT HAD TO
BE COVERED UP AND LITTLE
BOOTIES.
FOR WOMEN, MAYBE FOR MEN, TOO,
NO MAKEUP 'CAUSE THAT MAKEUP
CONTAMINATES THE HUBBLE OPTICS.
>> I DIDN'T WEAR ANY MAKEUP,
WASN'T A PROBLEM.
>> YOU DIDN'T?
LOOK GREAT.
WHEEL YOU'RE SMOCKING UP, CAN
YOU TELL ABOUT THE MISSIONS YOU
WERE ON WITH RESPECT TO HUBBLE?
>> I WAS ON THE VERY FIRST
SERVICING MISSION.
YOU KNOW, CHARLIE BOLDEN WAS ON
THE MISSION THAT PUT HUBBLE IN
ORBIT, AND THEN WHEN WE
DISCOVERED THAT IT COULDN'T
FOCUS PROPERLY, THAT, OF COURSE,
BECAME A REAL DISASTER.
IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN PLANNED THAT
EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS A CREW
WOULD GO UP TO SERVICE HUBBLE
AND SO, WE WENT UP ABOUT TWO AND
A HALF YEARS AFTER HUBBLE WAS
LAUNCHED, BUT AT THAT POINT THE
PURPOSE OF THE MISSION WAS NOT
JUST TO PUT IN A NEW INSTRUMENT,
WHICH IT ALWAYS HAD BEEN IN THE
PLAN, BUT ACTUALLY TO FIX ALL OF
THE OPTICS, PLUS ABOUT A DOZEN
THINGS THAT HAD BROKEN ON HUBBLE
AND HAD TO BE FIXED IT ENDED UP
BEING THE MOST COMPLEX SHUTTLE
MISSION THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED
AND GIVEN THE SUCCESS OF IT, I
THINK IT REALLY GAVE PEOPLE THE
CONFIDENCE THAT COMPLEX
SERVICING TASKS WERE POSSIBLE
AND I THINK LED THE WAY TO SOME
OF THE EVEN MORE COMPLEX THINGS
THAT JOHN AND HIS CREW MATES DID
ON SOME OF THEIR HUBBLE
MISSIONS.
>> SO WHICH MISSIONS WERE YOU
ON, JOHN?
>> I WAS ON THREE HUBBLE
MISSIONS, THE LAST THREE, IN
FACT.
WE DID A MISSION IN 1999 AND
2002, AND MOST RECENT ONE 2009.
AND AMAZINGLY, HUBBLE IS STILL
WORKING GREAT.
AND I THINK--
>> AS GOOD AS NEW WHEN THEY
FIXED IT.
>> WHAT WE LEARNED ALMOST
ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ON THE
GROUND, MAYBE WEARING THESE
SUITS AND GLOVES TO PROTECT, BUT
ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ON THE
GROUND, WE CAN LEARN HOW TO DO
IN THE BIG BULKY SPACESUITS, OF
COURSE TAKES US LONGER TO GET
THOSE SUITS ON THAN THE SMOCKS,
BUT ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ON THE
GROUND, YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO DO
IT IN SPACE IF YOU HAVE THE
RIGHT TOOLS.
>> SO THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD CUE
FOR US TO GO IN AND SHOW THE
PEOPLE WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO.
>> I CHECKED YOUR STATIC OUT,
YOU'RE DO.
>> GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY
WANT.
>> WE'RE PLUGGED IN HERE AND
GROUNDED.
>> AWESOME.
I GUESS WE'LL START ON THE FAR
SIDE WITH JEFF SINCE YOU WERE
THE ON THE FIRST SERVICING
MISSION.
ANY TOOLS ON THE TABLE, WERE
THEY USED FOR THAT.
>> THIS ONE I HAVE FOND MEMORIES
OF.
THEY'RE ALL POWER TOOLS.
WE DID HAVE MANUAL TOOLS AND ON
A FEW OCCASIONS WE DID USE
MANUAL TOOLS, BUT POWER TOOLS
YOU CAN GET THE JOB DONE SO MUCH
FASTER AND WHEN YOU'RE ON AN EVA
MISSION LIKE THIS, REALLY,
ASTRONAUT TIME OUTSIDE DOING
USEFUL WORK IN THE SPACESUIT IS,
THAT'S THE MOST VALUABLE
CONSUMABLE THAT YOU HAVE.
AND SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO
SPEED UP THE PROCESS, SO, WE DO
USE A LOT OF POWER TOOLS.
NOW, THIS WAS FIRST GENERATION
FOR HUBBLE.
WE WOULD HAVE TOOL CARRIERS AND
I COULD PLUG THIS IN.
IT'S PRETTY HEAVY NOW, BUT
DOESN'T WEIGH ANYTHING UP THERE.
BUT, EVERYTHING HAS TETHERRED
AND YOU HAVE BOLT DRIVERS AND
PINS AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE
DRIVERS HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE
TETHERS.
JUST MANAGING THE TETHERS TOOK
TIME.
>> YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE A
TOOL.
>> BOY, WHEN WE WERE TOOLING THE
TRAINING IN THE POOL, IF YOUR
INSTRUCTOR SAW YOU HADN'T DONE A
TETHER PROPERLY, THEY'D GET ON
YOUR CASE.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE'D
USE A TORQUE LIMITER, OF COURSE
GO ON THE END OF THIS BETWEEN
THIS AND THE ACTUAL BOLT THAT
YOU WERE WORKING WITH A
TELESCOPE AND THE REASON FOR
THAT IS, WANT TO JUST PUT THE
BOLT IN WITH ENOUGH FORCE THAT
IT WON'T COME OUT AND YOU DON'T
WANT TO OVERDRIVE IT SO IT MIGHT
GET STUCK OR WORST CASE YOU
COULD ACTUALLY FRACTURE THE BOLT
IN WHICH CASE YOU'RE NEVER GOING
TO GET IT OUT.
SO, WE WERE VERY CAREFUL.
FOR EVERY JOB WE HAD THERE WOULD
BE AN INDICATION IN THE
CHECKLIST, YOU KNOW, SET YOUR
TORQUE LIMITER TO SUCH AND SUCH
A LEVEL AND THEN--
>> TORQUE IS HOW HARD YOU TURN
SOMETHING.
>> RIGHT.
AND THEN ALSO, 19 TURNS
CLOCK-WISE, AND JUST TO LET THE
PEOPLE--
>> NOT 20, NOT 18.
>> AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY COUNT
THEM OUT.
I'D BE THERE DOING THE THING AND
YOU KNOW, ONE, TWO, AND SO ON.
SO THAT THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND
COULD REALLY FOLLOW WHAT WE WERE
DOING AND THAT WAS CRITICAL.
BUT THEN, OF COURSE, THIS WAS
THE FIRST GENERATION AND WHEN
YOU GUYS WENT UP, YOU HAD SOME
MORE DEVELOPMENT.
>> AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
FEATURES OF THE HUBBLE PROGRAM
AT LARGE IS AS ASTRONAUTS WE GOT
TO WORK ON A DAILY BASIS WITH
ENGINEERS AND EXCHANGE IDEAS AND
WORK.
SOME THINGS WORKED AND SOME
THINGS DIDN'T SO THIS IS THE
ASTRONAUT DEATH RAY LASER--
NO.
THIS IS A POWER TOOL THAT'S THE
NEXT GENERATION AND THIS MAY
LOOK MORE LIKE A POWER
SCREWDRIVER THAT YOU HAVE AT
HOME AND INCORPORATES THE
FEATURES.
>> THIS WAS THE BATTERY FOR
THIS.
>> AND THE BATTERY IS NOW IN
HERE AND TORQUE LIMITER IS HERE
AND LAST ELECTRONICS THAT COUNTS
THE TURNS AND TELLS YOU WHAT
THEY ARE, RECORDS WHAT WAS
TORQUED AND SO THIS IS NOW THE
STANDARD WORK TOOL FOR
ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE.
NOW, IT'S PRETTY HEAVY HERE, IN
SPACE EVERYTHING FLOATS.
THIS IS A TOOL THAT'S USED ON
VIRTUALLY EVERY INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION SPACE WALK.
WHAT WE DEVELOPED FOR HUBBLE IS
USED ACROSS THE SPACE PROGRAM.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK FOR
EVERYTHING.
THIS WAS STILL TOO BIG AND
DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPABILITIES WE
NEEDED FOR SOME OTHER REPAIRS
THAT WE DID ON THE LAST MISSION.
I HAD TO REMOVE A LOT OF TINY
SCREWS IN SPACE AND WHAT DO YOU
NEED TO REMOVE TINY SCREWS IN
SPACE?
A TINY SCREWDRIVER.
>> WE HAD THAT PROBLEM ON THE
FIRST MISSION WITH OUR FINAL EVA
WITH THE SOLAR DRIVE, THAT WE
HAD 2 MILLIMETER SCREWS WE
COULDN'T USE THIS FOR IT, TOO
BIG.
>> WE DEVELOPED THE MINI TOOL
DRIVER, AND ALLOWED US TO DO THE
REPAIRS AND WE THINK OF THE
AMAZING HUBBLE IMAGES, AND JEFF
AND I ARE BOTH ASTRONOMERS AND
LOVE THE SCIENCE.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT
UNLESS ON THE FIRST SERVICING
MISSION THEY REPAIRED THE OPTICS
AND PUT NEW INSTRUMENTS IN.
ON EVERY MISSION WE PUT NEW
INSTRUMENTS IN.
>> OF COURSE, EVERY NEW MISSION,
WE WOULD BUILD ON THE
CAPABILITIES THAT HAD BEEN
DEMONSTRATED ON THE PREVIOUS
MISSION SO THAT, YOU KNOW, BY
THE TIME YOU GOT TO THE FINAL
MISSION, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT.
>> SURE.
>> THE ACF, BUT YOU DID THINGS
THAT HAD PEOPLE SUGGESTED THAT
THEY COULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE
FIRST SERVICING MISSION, THEY'D
HAVE GOTTEN KICKED OUT OF THE
ROOM.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WAY BEYOND THE
SCOPE OF WHAT ANYBODY COULD DO,
BUT WE DID IT.
>> YEP.
TYPICALLY IF AN INSTRUMENT
FAILED WE'D BRING UP A WHOLE NEW
INSTRUMENT THE SIZE OF A BULKY
REFRIGERATOR.
WE BROUGHT UP, BUT FAILED.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO REPAIR WITH
SPECIAL TOOLS, ALLOWED US TO CUT
A METAL PLATE, TO REMOVE ALL OF
THOSE TINY SCREWS.
>> WITHOUT HAVING THEM FLOAT
AWAY.
>> RIGHT, WE USED A SPECIALIZED
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT KEPT THE
SCREWS ATTACHED SO THAT WE COULD
REMOVE ALL OF THOSE SCREWS.
GET A METAL PLATE OFF, MAYBE I
CAN GET THE PLATE OFF, MAYBE
NOT.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY FINGERNAILS?
>> I HAVE VERY SMALL
FINGERNAILS.
WE CAN ALWAYS TURN IT OVER.
>> CAN'T DO THAT IN SPACE.
>> INSIDE THERE WERE FOUR
CIRCUIT CUTTERS AND WE WERE ABLE
TO PULL THOSE OUT.
>> THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO
WORK ON THE LEVEL OF REMOVING
AND REPLACING CIRCUIT BOARDS, IT
WOULD JUST WOULD HAVE BEEN
UNTHINKABLE WHEN PEOPLE FIRST
STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT
ASTRONAUTS COULD DO IN
SERVICING, BUT AS WE GRADUALLY
GOT MORE CONFIDENCE ONE MISSION
AFTER THE OTHER, YOU ACTUALLY
DID IT.
>> AND EACH MISSION WE DID TRY
THINGS, FOLKS SAID, NO, YOU
CAN'T DO THAT.
WE WOULD GO DO IT.
THIS IS SORT OF THE STATE OF THE
ART FOR PEOPLE IN SPACE NOW AND
SOMETHING I THINK IN THE REALM
OF TODAY, YOU REALLY NEED THE
HUMAN DEXTERITY TO DO, BUT I
THINK A LOT OF THE TASKS THAT WE
DID, REMOVING THE LARGE BULKY
OBJECTS, TODAY WE COULD DO THAT
WITH ROBOTS.
>> WE COULD, OUR ROBOTS HAVE
GOTTEN A LOT MORE SOPHISTICATED
AND THEY'RE WORKING ON ROBOTIC
SERVICING HERE IN GODDARD, THIS
IS THE LAN SATS AND REFUELING.
I LOVE PUTTING ON A SPACESUIT
AND GOING OUTSIDE.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
DONE BY ROBOTS WE OUGHT TO LET
THE ROBOTS DO IT, DESIGN IT FOR
REBOTS.
IF YOU RUN INTO SOMETHING ROBOTS
CAN'T DO IT, THEN A SIMPLER
INTERFACE FOR THE PEOPLE TO DO
IT.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT ROBOTIC TOOLS,
THEY LOOK KIND OF LIKE
EVOLUTIONARY TOOLS FROM THE HAND
TOOLS THAT WE USE, THEY'RE BUILT
IN THE HAND OF THE ROBOT.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT
DEVELOPMENT.
>> I MEAN, WE -- THE IDEA OF
BEING ABLE TO RECYCLE SATELLITES
AND TO IMPROVE THE CAPABILITIES,
WITH IS --
WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH
HUBBLE, IT'S BEEN A GAME-CHANGER
FOR HUBBLE AND HOPEFULLY AS WE
GO INTO THE FUTURE AND THE
LATTER PART OF THE 21ST CENTURY,
THAT'S GOING TO BE STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURE.
>> YES.
>> SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT.
>> MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AND OF
COURSE, AS WE GO OUT AND EXPLORE
PLANETS, MARS, YOU'RE GOING TO
WANT ROBOTS OUT EXPLORING BEFORE
WE CAN GET THERE, EVEN WHEN
WE'RE THERE AND YOU'LL NEED
REBOTS TO REPAIR THE ROBOTS.
>> THAT WAS AWESOME, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR SHARING THOSE TOOLS
AND WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF
QUESTIONS COMING IN FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
YOU'RE SENDING THEM IN ON
FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER AND
TWITCH.
WE'VE GOT GOOD ONES.
JEFF, THE FIRST QUESTION FOR
YOU.
WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE
EMOTIONALLY BEING ON THE FIRST
SERVICING MISSION?
>> OF COURSE, EVERYBODY KNEW HOW
CRITICAL THIS SITUATION WAS AND
AS AN ASTRONOMER I HAVE LOTS OF
ASTRONOMER FRIENDS WHO WOULD
CALL US UP AND SAY, CAN NASA
REALLY FIX THIS?
PEOPLE WHO HAD DEVOTED LARGE
PARTS OF THEIR CAREER TO HUBBLE.
FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS REALLY
EXCITING BEING PUT ON THE CREW.
THIS WAS A PRIMO MISSION,
EVERYBODY KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT
WAS.
AND THEN YOU KNOW AS AN
ASTRONOMER AND AS AN ASTRONAUT,
YOU MUST HAVE HAD THIS, YOU
KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO PUT TWO
HANDS ON THE GREATEST TELESCOPE
IN THE WORLD UP IN SPACE, I
MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL
NEVER FORGET.
THAT'S THE--
>> I THINK I SAW YOUR HAND
PRINTS ON THE HUBBLE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I DID HAVE A SIMILAR
EXPERIENCE.
WE GOT UP TO HUBBLE AND IT WAS
MY THIRD SPACE FLIGHT, BUT MY
FIRST SPACE WALK.
YOU'D ALREADY DONE A SPACE WALK.
>> YEAH.
>> AND I WAS ON THE ROBOTIC ARM
AND MOVED BACK TOWARDS THE
HUBBLE AND THERE WAS A MOMENT
THERE, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS THE
PINCH-ME MOMENT WHERE I REACHED
OUT WITH A FINGER AND OF COURSE
I'M WEARING A GLOVE AND
SPACESUIT AND I REACHED OUT WITH
A FINGER AND TOUCHED THE HUBBLE
TO MAKE SURE IT WAS ALL REAL.
>> I MEAN, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL
TELESCOPE.
IT'S COVERED WITH REFLECTIVE
MATERIAL THAT REFLECTS THE
COLORS OF THE EARTH BELOW IT AND
I MEAN, FOR THOSE OF US WHO GOT
TO PLAY A PART IN THE HISTORY OF
THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE, I
THINK FOR ALL OF US, IT WAS THE
HIGHLIGHT OF OUR CAREERS.
>> WE'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION
AND I'LL SEND IT OVER TO JOHN.
SO, YOU DID IT THREE TIMES, BUT
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO
HUBBLE?
>> WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION
BECAUSE LAUNCHING FROM PLANET
EARTH TO GET TO EARTH ORBIT ONLY
TAKES EIGHT AND A HALF MINUTES.
KIND OF A ROUGH RIDE, BUT ONCE
YOU GET THERE, IT TOOK US A
COUPLE OF DAYS TO RECONFIGURE
THE SHUTTLE AND TO CHASE DOWN
HUBBLE SO THAT ON THE THIRD DAY,
WE GRABBED THE HUBBLE WITH THE
ROBOTIC ARM OF THE SHUTTLE AND
PUT IT INTO THE PAYLOAD BASE SO
WOO --
WE COULD WORK ON IT AND TAKES
ABOUT THREE DAYS AND THEN DAY
FOUR THE SPACE WALK.
>> THIS HE KEEP YOU BUSY THERE.
>> IT'S EXCITING WHEN YOU'RE
DOING THAT RENDEZVOUS.
WHEN YOU GET YOUR FIRST GLIMPSE
OF THE TELESCOPE AND IT'S JUST A
LITTLE POINT OF LIGHT, AND THEN
EVERY ORBIT YOU GET A LITTLE
CLOSER AND THEN YOU CAN START TO
SEE ITS FORM AND IT GETS BIGGER
AND WHEN IT FINALLY GETS CLOSE
TO YOU, IT'S BIG, YOU KNOW, 50
FEET FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND IT'S
REALLY EXCITING.
>> THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
SO EVERYBODY, IF YOU JUST TUNED
IN.
WE'VE GOT HUBBLE ASTRONAUTS,
JEFF AND JOHN TALKING ABOUT
HUBBLE TOOLS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> OUR PLEASURE, WE LOVE IT.
>> IT'S BEEN FUN, NOSTALGIC
PICKING THESE UP AGAIN.
WISH I COULD TAKE IT INTO SPACE
AND WE'LL LEAVE IT FOR YOUNGER
GUYS.
>> WE'LL PHONE A FRIEND.
WE'RE HERE IN THE ROBOTICS AREA
FOR GODDARD AND WE TALKED ABOUT
HUBBLE AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT
SERVICING AND WE TALKED ABOUT
HUMANS, BUT NOW WE'RE READY TO
TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WHAT
SERVICING MAY LOOK LIKE FROM
HERE ON OUT.
AND TO DO THAT, WE'VE GOT THE
FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY WORK ON SOME
OF THESE INSTRUMENTS THAT YOU'RE
SEEING IN HERE AND TODAY WITH
ME, I'VE GOT BEN REED FROM
SATELLITE SERVICING.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, BEN.
>> OF COURSE.
>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT ROBOTIC
SERVICING.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING
ROBOTS?
>> SO, THE ADVANTAGE OF USING
ROBOTS IS THE SAME AS USING
ROBOTS HERE ON THE GROUND.
WE LIKE TO USE THEM IN PLACES,
THE TRADITIONAL PEOPLE LIKE TO
SAY, DUMB, DIRTY AND DANGEROUS.
SO, LET'S FOCUS ON THE
DANGEROUS.
ASTRONAUTS ARE ABSOLUTELY
FABULOUS.
I LOVE THE ASTRONAUT CORPS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE THE
TECHNOLOGY TO PROTECT ASTRONAUTS
FROM RADIATION IN, FOR EXAMPLE,
POLAR ORBIT AROUND THE NORTH AND
SOUTH POLE OF THE EARTH.
RADIATION IS WORSE THERE THAN AT
THE LOWER LATITUDES.
AS A RESULT, WE CAN'T WORK ON
MISSIONS SENDING ASTRONAUTS TO
POLAR ORBIT.
IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR THEIR
HEALTH SO WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING
IT, BUT THAT IS A RIPE
OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP ROBOTIC
TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE THERE ARE A
LOT OF SATELLITES IN LOW EARTH
ORBIT, POLAR, LEE POLAR, IN
FACT, ONE SATELLITE BEEN THERE
SINCE 1999 IS LANCET.
WHAT YOU SEE IS FULL SCALE
MOCKUP OF LANCET 7.
22 FEET LONG AND WE'RE NOT
CONSIDERING SENDING ASTRONAUTS
TO WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
SO IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO
DEVELOP ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY TO
SERVICE A SATELLITE LIKE LANCET
7.
WE DON'T VIEW IT AS ROBOTS OR
ASTRONAUTS.
EACH ARE UNIQUE AND EACH HAVE
THE CAPABILITIES THAT OTHERS DO
NOT DUPLICATE.
THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT JOBS.
>> HERE, YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT WAYS TO SIMULATE BEING
IN SPACE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO THE AUDIENCE
WHAT SOME OF THE WAYS ARE?
>> SURE.
SO, WE HAVE A VACUUM CHAMBER
DOWN THE HALL IN THIS COMPLEX
HERE AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER AND THAT'S WHERE WE
SIMULATE THE VACUUM OF SPACE.
IN THIS ROOM WE NEED TO SIMULATE
OTHER ASPECTS OF SPACE, SO, WHAT
IS ANOTHER ASPECT?
IT'S DARK.
IF THE SUN IS NOT SHINING ON YOU
BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE NIGHT SIDE
OF EARTH, SPACE IS VERY, VERY,
VERY DARK.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHEN YOU GO
OUTSIDE AT NIGHT.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE ALL OF THESE
BLACK CURTAINS, WE NEED TO
SIMULATE A ROBOT WORKING ON A
SATELLITE IN THE ABSENCE OF
LIGHT.
SO WE DO LIGHTS OUT TESTING IN
THIS LABORATORY.
WE KILL ALL THE LIGHTS AND IF
YOU LOOK AT BELOW THE MOCKUP OF
LANCET 7, THESE LIGHTS YOU SEE
THERE THAT'S THE EXACT SAME
LIGHTING THAT WE WOULD USE
DURING A ROBOTIC SERVICING
MISSION OF LANCET 7,
ILLUMINATING THE WORK SITE JUST
AS IT WOULD BE ILLUMINATED IN
SPACE.
THAT'S ONE ASPECT HOW WE
SIMULATE SPACE.
A MORE DIFFICULT ASPECT OF SPACE
THAT WE NEED TO SIMULATE SO THAT
WE CAN BE TESTING IN AS
REALISTIC AN ENVIRONMENT AS
POSSIBLE IS GRAVITY.
NOW, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO
TURN OFF GRAVITY.
IN FACT, NO ONE KNOWS HOW.
BUT WE CAN SIMULATE NO GRAVITY
BY A ROBOTIC PLATFORM THAT CAN
MOVE OBJECTS AROUND AS IF THEY
WERE FLOATING IN SPACE, AND LET
ME SHOW YOU WHAT OURS LOOKS
LIKE.
COME WITH ME THIS WAY, ERIN.
>> I'M WITH YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO, FIRST LET ME BACK UP A HALF
A STEP AND POINT OUT THE FACT
THAT EVERY SATELLITE IN SPACE AT
ONE POINT OR ANOTHER WAS BLASTED
UP BOO I -- BY A ROCKET.
YOU NEED TO ATTACH THE TWO
TOGETHER SO THE SATELLITE
DOESN'T FALL OFF DURING LAUNCH.
AND THE--
HOW THEY'RE ATTACHED TO EACH
OTHER IS DONE WITH WHAT'S CALLED
A MARMON RING.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE LOWER
END OF A SATELLITE AND HERE IS
THE MARMON RING.
SO THIS BIG RING HERE IS THE
MARMON RING.
WE HAVE THIS SATELLITE MOCKUP ON
THIS HYDRAULIC STEWART PLATFORM
THAT WE CALL A HEXIPOD.
AND WE HAVE A ROBOT IN FRONT OF
IT AND THE ROBOT WOULD REACH OUT
AND TOUCH IT AND IT NEEDS TO
REACT.
IT NEEDS TO BOUNCE OFF AND FLOAT
AWAY AS IF IT WERE IN SPACE.
SO, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A VERY
SOPHISTICATED TECHNIQUE TO
SIMULATE SPACE CONTACT DYNAMICS
TO PUT A SATELLITE IN MOTION.
SO I'M GOING TO SHOUT ACROSS TO
A FABULOUS ENGINEER, BRIAN
GREGORY, AND HE IS GOING TO PUT
THIS SATELLITE INTO MOTION.
TAKE IT AWAY, BRIAN!
SO, IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT YOU GET
TO SEE SPACE SIMULATED IN GREEN
BELT, MARYLAND, BUT IT ACTUALLY
IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE THAT
RIGHT HERE AT GODDARD SPACE
FLIGHT CENTER WE SIMULATE SPACE
ON THE GROUND IN OUR ROBOTICS
LAB.
>> VERY COOL.
THAT'S AWESOME.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT OUT IN
SPACE NOW.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> AND OBVIOUSLY IN THIS
FACILITY DEVELOPED THIS
TECHNOLOGY, THE HUMAN AND
TECHNOLOGY AND YOU KNOW, YOU SEE
THE HORROR FILMS, YOU KNOW,
HUMAN VERSUS ROBOT, BUT REALLY
WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER, THEY
CREATE AMAZING THINGS.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT
THAT INTERACTION BETWEEN HUMANS
AND ROBOTICS AND HOW IT MAKES
SUCH A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT?
>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT
OBSERVATION.
SO GOING BACK TO THE HUBBLE
MISSION.
IN EVERY HUBBLE SERVICING
MISSION WE HAD HUMANS AND ROBOTS
WORKING TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TRAINED, INCREDIBLY
BRILLIANT, FANTASTICICALLY
DEXTEROUS ASTRONAUTS WORKING IN
THE SHUTTLE PAYLOAD BAY WITH A
ROBOTIC ARM.
THE SHUTTLE HAD A ROBOTIC ARM IN
THE PAYLOAD BAY AND THEY WOULD
WORK WITH THAT ARM IN
MANEUVERING THE OBJECTS AROUND
THAT THEY REPLACED INSIDE
HUBBLE.
TODAY, AS WE THINK ABOUT ROBOTS
GOING INTO, FOR EXAMPLE, LEO
POLAR TO WORK ON SATELLITES LIKE
LANCET 7, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP
THE ASTRONAUTS OR THE HUMANS ON
THE GROUND AND THEY WILL
REMOTELY CONTROL THE ROBOT FROM
THE SAFETY OF PLANET EARTH WITH
A ROBOTIC ARMS BEING IN SPACE
AND I CAN SHOW YOU THAT IN THE
BACK EVER THE LAB.
SO IF YOU'LL COME WITH ME, ERIN.
AND WHILE WE'RE WALKING I WILL
POINT OUT AS WE WALK ACROSS THE
LAB, YOU CAN SEE ON
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
WHICH IS WHAT THESE VIDEO FEEDS
ARE OF, ROBOTIC ARMS ON
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SO
NASA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF
ROBOTIC ARMS ON THE SHUTTLE.
ROBOTIC ARMS ON THE SPACE
STATION, ROBOTIC ARMS ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS AND I'LL SHOW
YOU THE LATEST GENERATION OF
ROBOTIC ARMS ON THIS WALL OF
MONITORS.
>> GETTING CLOSE.
GETTING CLOSE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, HERE WE ARE IN THE NEXT PART
OF OUR TOUR WITH OUR SPACE ARM
AND OUR TWO ROBOTIC ARM
OPERATORS.
CHARLIE, WHO YOU ALREADY MET.
SO, THIS ROBOTIC ARM IS FLIGHT
LIKE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
IT'S GOT SIMILAR MATERIALS,
FINISH, ELECTRONICS THAT CAN ALL
WITHSTAND THE RIGORS OF SPACE.
SO THIS FLIGHT LIKE ROBOTIC ARM,
JOE AND CHARLIE ARE GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND PUT IT INTO MOTION.
>> OKAY.
>> AND THIS IS THE FREEDOM ARM.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
WHAT IT MEANS THE SHOULDER,
ELBOW AND WRIST HAVE SEVEN
ARTICULATING JOINTS, SO THREE AT
THE SHOULDER, IT'S DOING A
SHOULDER ROLL RIGHT NOW.
TWO AT THE ELBOW AND TWO AT THE
WRIST, THREE PLUS TWO, PLUS TWO,
YES, NASA ARITHMETIC FOR YOU,
THAT'S SEVEN AND YOU SEE THEY'RE
CHANGING THE ORIENTATION OF THE
END DEFECTOR TO POINT RIGHT AT
US.
SO WITH TWO DIFFERENT HAND
CONTROLLERS ASTRONAUT, RETIRED
MARINE CORPS GENERAL CHARLIE
BOLDEN IS POINTING THAT RIGHT
AT THE CAMERA.
AND IT'S AT THIS ROBOTIC CONTROL
STATION THAT WE WILL BE
MANIPULATING ROBOTS IN THE
FUTURE TO PERFORM SERVICING
OPERATIONS LIKE REFUELING ON
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ASSETS IN
SPACE, EXTENDING THEIR LIFE,
GETTING MORE VALUE OUT OF THE
TAXPAYERS' INVESTMENT WITH THIS
TECHNOLOGY.
>> THAT IS AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US YOUR
TOYS AND THANKS, CHARLIE FOR
VOLUNTEERING TO PLAY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF
QUESTIONS.
>> AND JOE.
>> AND THANK JOE, COME ON.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR TEACHING
CHARLIE EVERYTHING HE KNOWS
ABOUT ROBOTICS.
[LAUGHTER]
>> DEFINITELY.
>> LIKE I SAID BEFORE WE'VE GOT
QUESTIONS COMING IN FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA AND GOT SOME FOR BOTH OF
OUR FRIENDS OVER HERE.
SO, LET'S START WITH BEN.
SO WHAT OTHER SATELLITES ARE
DESIGNED TO BE SERVICED IN SPACE
BY ROBOTS?
>> IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
SO DESIGNED TO BE SERVICED IS
REALLY ONLY TWO.
HUBBLE AND THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
BOTH DESIGNED WITH HUMAN
SERVICING IN MIND.
SO THOSE ARE VERY NOTABLE
SATELLITES.
IF WE WENT TO THE LOCAL GROCERY
STORE AND ASKED THE AVERAGE
SHOPPER NAME TWO SATELLITES,
PROBABLY THE TWO THEY'D NAME,
HUBBLE AND ISS.
BUT THERE ARE 1800 OTHER
SATELLITES OPERATING IN SPACE AS
WE SPEAK TODAY.
1,800 THEREABOUTS, TWO OF WHICH
WERE DESIGNED TO BE SERVICE, SO
A TECHNIQUE, A CAPABILITY THAT
WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON WITH
THE HARDWARE HERE IN THIS LAB IS
THE ABILITY TO SERVICE A
SATELLITE THAT WASN'T DESIGNED
FOR SERVICING IN MIND.
99%, NOT JUST THE 1%.
THAT'S VERY MUCH WITHIN OUR
ACTIVE PROGRAM DESIGN HERE IS TO
WORK ON TECHNOLOGIES AND
CAPABILITIES FOR THE MANY NOT
JUST THE FEW.
>> AND CHARLIE, I KNOW I LEFT
YOU OUT OF THE QUESTION EARLIER,
BUT WE HAVE GOT A BUNCH FOR YOU
NOW.
FROM INSTAGRAM HOW LONG HUBBLE
IS PROJECTED TO BE IN SERVICE.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU ASK ME I THINK--
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT NOW IN TERMS OF THE FINITE
END OF IT.
HUBBLE IS IN GREAT SHAPE.
EVERY TIME THERE'S HUBBLE IT
GOES INTO SAFE MODE.
I WILL NOT VENTURE TO GUESS WHEN
HUBBLE'S LIFE WILL BE OVER.
THE FINAL DECISION WILL PROBABLY
BE MADE BY THE BUDGET GUYS.
I HATE TO SAY.
ONCE WE HAVE JAMES WEBB IN PLACE
AND OPERATING IT WAS INTENDED TO
BE THE REPLACEMENT FOR HUBBLE.
MY GUESS IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
THE BUDGET GUYS AND THE
ASTROPHYSICISTS AND THE
ASTRONOMERS GO AT IT BECAUSE
HUBBLE WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE US
DATA THAT WE CAN USE TO FEED
INTO TELESCOPES LIKE JAMES WEBB
TO MAKE THEM EVEN MORE
EFFICIENT.
I WOULD SAY HUBBLE'S GOT A LOT
MORE LIFE THAN WE ARE GOING TO
GIVE IT TO BE QUITE HONEST.
>> YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING
INTERESTING.
THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO
FROM THE GROUND NOT WITH
ASTRONAUTS OR WITH ROBOTS TO
EXTEND THE LIFE OF HUBBLE?
WHAT IS THAT?
>> I WASN'T SAYING WE COULD DO
ANYTHING TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF
HUBBLE, BUT WHAT I WAS SAYING
BEFORE WAS THE WAY WE LEFT IT
AFTER THE FINAL SERVICING
MISSION, IT WAS IN MUCH BETTER
SHAPE THAN IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE
WHEN IT WAS BUILT.
SO IT'S A MUCH MORE CAPABLE
OBSERVATORY TODAY THAN ANYBODY
EVERYBODY IMAGINED IT WOULD BE.
THAT'S WHY I THINK THERE'S
PROBABLY SOMEBODY IN THIS
BUILDER WHO WILL VENTURE A GUESS
AS TO HUBBLE'S LIFETIME.
I'M NOT ONE OF THEM BECAUSE IT'S
NOT THE SAME OBSERVATORY THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE DESIGNED AND BUILT
BACK IN THE '70S, '80S AND '90S.
SO I THINK IT HAS MORE
CAPABILITY THAN WE COULD
IMAGINE.
BEN, YOU MAY KNOW.
>> WELL, THERE'S A PHRASE WE USE
WITH ALL COMPLEX EQUIPMENT,
HUBBLE BEING ONE, INFANT
MORTALITY.
INFANT MORTALITY BIT HUBBLE IN A
COUPLE OF WAYS.
SOLAR ARRAYS HAD ISSUES, GYROS
HAD ISSUES AND OPTICS THAT
WEREN'T BY DESIGN.
HUBBLE.
ONE OF THE FRU EXCEPTIONS WE
HAVE THROUGH SERVICING MISSIONS
AND SMART ENGINEERS ON THE
GROUND OVERCOME THAT INFANT
MORTALITY AND NOW IT'S GOING
LIKE GANG BUSTERS.
I HAVE TO AGREE 100% WITH
CHARLIE.
IT IS FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN THE
DAY IT LAUNCHED.
IN FACT, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS
FOUR ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE MORE
POWERFUL THAN THE DAY IT
LAUNCHED.
BECAUSE MOORE'S LAW ADVANCES
TECHNOLOGY HERE ON THE GROUND.
THE CAMERAS PUT IN BY THE
CAPABLE ASTRONAUTS.
SO IT'S FAR BETTER THAN THE DAY
IT WAS LAUNCHED AND KNOCK ON
WOOD, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THE
SCIENCE DISCOVERIES COMING.
>> I'VE GOT ONE MORE SPECIFIC
QUESTION FOR BEN.
SO ARE THERE APPLICATIONS FOR
THESE TECHNOLOIES LIKE THE
ROBOTIC ARM BEYOND SATELLITE
SERVICING?
>> SURE, WE WANT TO DISCOVER OUR
PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE AND ONE
WAY TO DO THAT IS TO GO TO
PLANETARY BODIES, COMETS,
ASTEROIDS, SURFACE OF THE MOON,
THE SURFACE OF MARS AND COLLECT
SAMPLES.
COLLECTING SAMPLES AND ANALYZING
THEM WHEN WE'RE THERE, AS MARS
CURIOSITY ROVER IS DOING.
WE FLEW THE CHEMISTRY LAB TO THE
SURFACE OF MARS AND THAT
REQUIRED A LOT OF WORK AND AN
INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT.
JUST THINK WHAT WE COULD DO IF
WE COULD BRING A SAMPLE BACK
FROM THE SURFACE OF MARS OR AN
ASTEROID OR COMET BACK TO EARTH,
A BIG SAMPLE NOT A FEW GRAINS
WHICH WE'VE ALREADY DONE FROM A
COMET.
SO, THE ABILITY TO HAVE ADVANCED
ROBOTICS TO HAVE THESE
TREMENDOUS CAPABILITIES THAT
ENGINEERS LIKE JOE ARE HELPING
US DEVELOP AND USE THOSE FOR
OTHER EXPLORATION MISSIONS TO
HELP ASTRONAUTS GOING FURTHER
INTO SOLAR SYSTEM.
WE ARE FOCUSING ON THAT AS PART
OF OUR MISSION SET NOT JUST
SATELLITES.
EVEN THOUGH THAT'S A BROAD THING
TO SAY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE
SPECTRUM.
>> AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT
BEN WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE A
MISSION THAT JUST ACCOMPLISHED
ONE.
MAJOR MILESTONES, IT GOT KIND OF
LOST BECAUSE IT CAME ON THE
HEELS OF INSIGHT'S LANDING, O
OCYRUS-REX.
IT'S LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND
AND GET A SAMPLE AND COME BACK.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE WILL
HAVE A SAMPLE, IF YOU WILL, FROM
AN ASTEROID THAT WILL HELP US
UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM AND OUR PLANET EARTH
SINCE IT STARTED FROM THE SAME
PLACE.
YOU KNOW, THE STUFF THAT JOE AND
THE GUYS HERE ARE DOING WITH THE
SATELLITES THAT THEY'RE WORKING
ON RIGHT NOW, IT'S--
I WOULD NOT EVEN VENTURE TO SAY
WHAT IT IS THAT WE CANNOT DO
WITH SATELLITES AND ROBOTIC
SPACECRAFT.
>> I LOVE THAT.
NOI THAT THE ASTRONAUTS KIND OF
ANSWERED FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE,
BUT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT
LESSONS FROM HUBBLE DID YOU
INCORPORATE INTO THE SERVICING
TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU'RE WORKING
ON RIGHT NOW?
>> OH, THAT HE IS A GREAT
QUESTION.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE GENERAL ANSWER
AND THEN THE SPECIFIC ANSWER.
SO THE GENERAL ANSWER IS HUBBLE
HAS BEEN IN ORBIT FOR MANY
YEARS.
WHEN WE GOT TO HUBBLE, THERE
WERE ITEMS ON IT THAT WEREN'T
EXACTLY LIKE THEY WERE WHEN WE
LEFT IT, ESPECIALLY ON THE
OUTSIDE.
SPACE IS AN INCREDIBLY HARSH
ENVIRONMENT, RADIATION,
MICROMETEORITES, ORBITAL DEBRIS,
THERMAL CYCLING.
IT TAKES ITS TOLL ON THE
SATELLITE.
EVERY TELESCOPE FACES THESE
CHALLENGES.
WHAT WE DID WITH HUBBLE, WE
DESIGNED OUR TOOLS AND
TECHNIQUES AND TRAINED THE
ASTRONAUTS TO ACCOMMODATE A RIDE
RANGE OF CONDITIONS WHEN YOU
ARRIVE.
ONE TECHNIQUE WE USED IF YOU'RE
NOT SURE THE CONDITION OF THE A
COMPONENT, WHAT IT'S GOING TO
BE, BRING UP YOUR OWN
REPLACEMENT THAT WAY YOU CAN BE
SURE WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND IS
PRISTINE OR WILL WORK PROPERLY.
SO, ROBOTIC SERVICING, WE ARE
GOING TO BE GOING TO A
22-YEAR-OLD SATELLITE.
OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK.
[LAUGHTER]
>> WHEN WE GO TO REFUEL IT.
IT HAS BLANKETING ON THE OUTSIDE
THAT SHINY GOLD BLANKETING THAT
YOU SAW EARLIER.
WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO
MESS UP THE BLANKETING WHEN WE
ROBOTICALLY CUT A HOLE INTO IT
TO GET ACCESS TO THE FUELING
VALVE.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
WE ARE GOING TO BRING UP OUR OWN
THERMAL COVER IN CASE THAT
BLANKET IS GETTING MANGLED.
AND WE'RE LEARNING BY DOING, WE
MIGHT MAKE A MISTAKE.
BY BRINGING YOUR OWN THERMAL
COVER, A FIVE-SIDED TOP HAT SO
TO SPEAK, WE WILL LEAVE THE
SATELLITE IN A THERMALLY STABLE
CONFIGURATION WITH OUR OWN
THERMAL COVER.
AN EXAMPLE WHAT WE LEARNED WITH
HUBBLE, IF YOU CAN'T TRUST IT,
BRING YOUR OWN, WE'RE GOING TO
DO THAT WITH REBOTS AS WELL.
>> UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE ONLY GOT
TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION.
HOW ARE HUMANS ALSO INVOLVED IN
THE ROBOTIC SERVICING THAT WE'RE
SEEING HERE IN THIS LAB?
WHAT IS THE HUMAN COMPONENT
HERE?
>> HUMAN JUDGMENT, HUMAN
DEXTERITY, HUMAN SKILL.
GUYS LIKE JOE RUNNING THE HAND
CONTROLLERS, HE'S GOING TO BE
DOING THAT WITH VIDEO COMING
BACK DOWN FROM OUR TOOLS, ALL OF
OUR ROBOTIC TOOLS HAVE CAMERAS
ON THEM.
JOE IS GOING TO BE USING THE
CAMERA VIEWS COMING BACK ON HIS
SCREEN HERE AND DECIDING HOW
MUCH TO MOVE THE JOY STICK IN
WHAT DIRECTION, SO, ROBOTS ARE
NOT SMART.
THEY ARE NOT SMART AT ALL.
GUYS LIKE JOE ARE SMART, THEY'VE
GOT JUDGMENT, THEY'VE GOT
EXPERIENCE, AND THAT IS HOW
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE BEST QUALITIES OF HUMANS AND
THE BEST QUALITIES ARE MARRIED
TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE MISSIONS.
>> NOW YOU MADE IT HARD FOR JOE
TO GET AROUND THE LAB THE REST
OF THE AFTERNOON.
>> EVERYWHERE WILL GET OUT OF
HIS WAY, JOE.
>> EVERYTHING FOR JOE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE AND FOR ANSWERING ALL OF
THESE QUESTIONS AND FOR GIVING
US THIS WONDERFUL DEMO AND THE
SPACE TO HOST THE SHOW.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL, BUT THE
PARTY IS NOT OVER YET, TWO MORE
LIVE SHOWS TOMORROW WITH
ASTRONAUTS.
WE'VE GOT TWO ASTRONAUTS FROM
SERVICING MISSION ONE TALKING
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE ON THE
FIRST EVER HUMAN SERVICING
MISSION TO HUBBLE.
HOW DID THAT GO?
FIND OUT TOMORROW ON FACEBOOK,
OUR FACEBOOK, SPECIFICALLY AND
THEN, WE ALSO HAVE A SHOW IN THE
AFTERNOON OF ASTRONAUTS FROM ALL
THE FIVE SERVICING MISSIONS,
PLUS WE'VE GOT CHARLIE WILL BE
WITH US, TOO.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TUNE
IN AND WANT TO SEND IN YOUR
QUESTIONS AND WE WILL SEE YOU
THEN, BUT IN THE MEANTIME IF YOU
WANT MORE HUBBLE FIND US ON
NASA.GOV/HUBBLE OR SOCIAL
MEDIA AT HUBBLE.
THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN.
FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE AND
LIFT-OFF OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE
"DISCOVERY" WITH THE HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE.
OUR WINDOW ON THE EARTH.
♪
>> COUPLERS SATELLITE, IT'S
ABOUT HUMANITY'S QUEST FOR
KNOWLEDGE.
THE ONLY WAY FINDING THE LIMITS
OF THE POSSIBLE IS GOING BEYOND
THEM INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE.
I WANT TO WISH HUBBLE ITS OWN
SET OF ADVENTURES THAT IT MAY
UNLOCK FURTHER MYSTERIES OF THE
UNIVERSE.
THE
♪
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE IMAGING
LOOKS FOR BLACK HOLES AND
LOOKING FOR PLANETS ORBITING
OTHER STARS.
AFTER THIS THE SYSTEM HAD A
POWER FAILURE IN 2004, THEY
REPLACED DAMAGED BOARDS 2009
WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A
MEMORABLE DAY FOR EVERYONE
INVOLVED.
.
SO FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS I SPENT
ALMOST EVERY DAY WITH THE EVA
TEAM.
>> WE PRACTICED THAT REPAIR
MANY, MANY TIMES AND WE HAD
PRACTICED IT IN THE WATER START
TO FINISH IN THE POOL, MANY
TIMES.
>> WE SPENT HOURS AND DAYS AND
WEEKS AND MONTHS GOING THROUGH
WHAT IF THIS FAILS?
WHAT IF THE CABLE DOESN'T MATE.
SO WE COVERED AS MUCH AS WE
COULD HAVE THOUGHT OF GOING INTO
THIS EVA.
>> SO WE CAME IN TO WORK HERE AT
THE SPACE TELESCOPE OPERATIONS
CONTROL CENTER AT GODDARD.
>> OUR MECHANICAL RESPONSE TEAM
WAS WATCHING THE EVA IN A
CONFERENCE ROOM IN BUILDING 29.
>> I WAS LOCATED DOWN AT JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER ALONG WITH
SERVICING MISSION MANAGER.
>> THE DAY STARTED OUT REALLY
WELL.
I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT A
PERFECT DAY, NO PROBLEMS.
>> TO GET TO THE SECTION WHERE
WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE HANDRAIL
AND YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THIS
HANDRAIL DESIGNED ACTUALLY TO
HELP REMOVE AND INSTALL THE
ENTIRE INSTRUMENT IN ORDER TO
ACCESS THE ELECTRONIC BOARD
UNDERNIGHT.
>> AND WE WATCHED MIKE ATTEMPT
TO DO A RATHER SIMPLE TEST, ALL
HE'S GOING TO DO IS REMOVE FOUR
SCREWS FROM THE HANDRAIL.
>> THE TWO SCREWS AT THE TOP
FINE, BOTTOM LEFT, FINE AND
BOTTOM RIGHT.
>> WE COULD SEE THE TOOL
SPINNING IN THE BOLTHEAD AND THE
BOLT WASN'T COMING OUT.
>> I DON'T WANT TO STRIP THE
THING.
>> OH, MY GOD, THAT'S THE FIRST
THING, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
THIS IS A SHOW STOPPER HERE.
>> FOR A WHILE, PROBABLY AN HOUR
OR SO TRYING DIFFERENT BITS ON
THE POWER TOOL AND TRYING ALL
KINDS OF THINGS.
>> ONE THING THAT CROSSED MY
MIND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO, WHAT
WOULD YOU DO AT HOME?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN YOUR GARAGE
AND THINKING BACK TO MY GARAGE
AND WHAT WOULD I DO?
AND I KIND OF USED THE BRUTE
FORCE.
WHAT ABOUT TRYING TO BREAK IT.
>> IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO A LOT OF
US.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT
EVER TRAINED TO DO OR THINK OF.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I DID I
CALLED BACK TO JAMES COOPER BACK
HERE AT GODDARD.
>> JAMES COOPER CALLED US ON THE
SPEAKER PHONE AND SAID, HEY,
GUYS, YOU'RE WATCHING, RIGHT?
>> OF COURSE.
>> AND WE FOUND OUT WE DID HAVE
A MOCKUP OF THE FRONT PANEL WITH
THE HANDRAIL ON IT.
>> WE CAME UP WITH A QUICK PLAN
AND BILL MITCHELL SAID I HAVE
TWO HANDRAILS IN THE CLEAN ROOM
AND BILL DICKENSON AND I FIGURED
OUT FOR A TEST AND SCOURED THE
BUILDING FOR THE MATERIALS WE
NEED.
IT WAS A SUNDAY NOBODY AROUND
AND LITERALLY RUNNING THROUGH
THE HALLS AND RUN TO WHERE THE
TECHS WOULD BE AND FIND A GUY,
GENE WAS IN THE BUILDING WORKING
ON ANOTHER PROJECT.
WHAT DO YOU NEED.
HE SEEN THE PICKUP ON MY BODY
LANGUAGE BEFORE I ASKED THE
QUESTION.
I NEED A TORQUE WRETCH AND I
NEED A DIGITAL SCALE.
>> AND HE TAKES OFF TO GET IT
AND 190, KEN DICKENSON IS THERE
AND WITHIN MINUTES BILL MITCHELL
BUSTING THROUGH THE DOOR
CARRYING THE HANDRAIL IN HIS
BUNNY SUIT AND CLEAN RAIL
GARMENT AND GET IT SET UP AND
READY TO GO AND TEXT PICTURES
BACK AND FORTH AND JAMES GIVES
US THE GREEN LIGHT AND GENE
STANDS UP ON THE TABLE AND
STARTS PULLING THE HANDRAIL AND
WHEN HE GOT TO 60 POUNDS, IT
SNAPPED AND THE BOLT WENT
FLYING.
>> ONCE WE'D DONE THAT TEST AND
I GO THE GOT ON THE
COMMUNICATION LOOP AND JAMES
SAID TAKES ABOUT 60 POUNDS OF
FORCE FOR THEM TO BREAK IT OFF.
>> SO THEY SENT THE INFORMATION
TO US AND WE TALKED TO THE
FLIGHT DIRECTOR ABOUT IT TO GET
IT COMFORTABLE.
>> DID YOU COPY THAT?
60 POUNDS LENNAR AT THE--
LINEAR AT THE TOP.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT OFF THAT.
>> WHAT IF HE PULLS IT OFF AND
THERE'S DEBRIS.
OR TAKES FORCE AND HITS HIM.
>> HE WAS ABLE TO PUT TAPE OVER
THE HEAD OF THE BOLT TO CONTAIN
THE DEBRIS THAT MIGHT GO FLYING.
>> SO I TAPED AS BEST I COULD
AND WITH ME HELPING ME TO TAPE
THAT THING.
>> WE DON'T HAVE VIDEO RIGHT
NOW, BUT WE'RE READY.
>> OKAY.
HAVE A GO.
>> HERE WE GO.
>> PULL.
>> DISPOSE OF THAT--
>> EVERYONE ERUPTED IN CHEERS.
BECAUSE WHEN HE PULLED IT OFF HE
DIDN'T SEE ANY DEBRIS AND DIDN'T
HAVE TO TOUCH POTENTIAL SHARP
EDGES AND WE COULD PUT THE PLATE
ON.
>> THE REST OF THE REPAIR WENT
FAIRLY WELL, IT WAS FINE,
ACTUALLY, AND WAS WORKING.
>> THAT ONE OR TWO HOURS THAT I
WORKED ON BREAKING THE HANDRAIL,
THAT TASK, THAT VERY WELL COULD
GO DOWN AS A HIGHLIGHT OF MY
CAREER.
>> SO THE GODDARD TEAM DID A
GREAT JOB AND I'M FOREVER IN
THEIR DEBT.
♪
>> WE'RE ALL EXPLORERS.
IT'S IN OUR DNA.
WE EXPLORE THE DEPTHS OF OUR
OCEANS, OUR PLANET'S INNER
REGIONS, AND ITS DESOLATE
OUTPOSTS.
WE NEVER STOP EXPLORING.
GALILEO OPENED OUR EYES TO THE
HEAVENS WITH THE USE OF A NEWLY
DEVELOPED INSTRUMENT, THE
TELESCOPE.
HE STARTED A RENAISSANCE
EXPLORATION OF THE SKY.
IT WOULD TAKE US TO THE MOON AND
BEYOND.
FOR OVER A QUARTER CENTURY, THE
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE HAS BEEN
UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF THE
UNIVERSE.
ALLOWING US TO EXPLORE THE EDGES
OF SPACE AND TIME.
FROM NEBULAS, TO GALAXIES.
FROM NEWBORN STARS TO PLANET
FORMATION.
FROM EXOPLANETS TO OUR OWN
PLANET.
AND FROM DARK MATTER TO DARK
ENERGY.
HUBBLE HAS ALLOWED US TO SEE THE
BREATHTAKING DETAILS OF THE
UNIVERSE NEVER BEFORE SEEN.
WE SALUTE THE THOUSANDS OF MEN
AND WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AND IN SPACE THAT HAVE GIVEN
HUMANITY THIS INCREDIBLE
EXPLORATION MACHINE WHILE WE
CELEBRATE ITS PAST AND DREAM OF
ITS FUTURE DISCOVERIES.
THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE,
INSPIRING THE EXPLORER IN ALL OF
US.
♪
ENGINEERS AT THE GODDARD SPACE
FLIGHT CENTER DISCOVERED THERE
WAS A VERY SMALL FAULT IN THE
POWER CONTROL UNIT.
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S THE HEART OF
HUBBLE.
ALL THE POWER RUNS THROUGH THAT
BOX.
>> YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO TURN OFF
THE TELESCOPE AND THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER EVER
DONE, TURNED THE TELESCOPE
COMPLETELY OFF BECAUSE WHEN YOU
TURN THE POWER OFF OF HUBBLE, IT
STARTS GETTING COLD.
>> YOU KNOW, SPACE IS A CRUEL
ENVIRONMENT AND SO THE
TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF THE
TELESCOPE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I WAS BROUGHT IN ON TO DEVELOP A
PROCEDURE WHICH WOULD TURN THE
TELESCOPE OFF AS QUICKLY AS WE
POSSIBLY COULD.
>> FOR MONTHS WE ANALYZED
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
>> WE THOUGHT THROUGH EVERYTHING
THAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG.
>> YOU KNOW, WE FELT CONFIDENT
THAT WE HAD A REAM OF ANALYSIS.
>> I ARRIVED LATE AT NIGHT FOR
THE START OF THE ORBIT SHIFT.
>> SO THE TEAM IS VERY PREPARED
AND VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE HAD
TO DO THAT NIGHT.
>> YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WAS
PRETTY CALM.
EVERYTHING WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE
NERVOUS, BUT EVERYTHING WAS
GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN.
>> JOHN IS GETTING INTO THE
SUIT, GETTING INTO THE AIR LOCK.
GOING THROUGH THEIR CHECKLIST
AND WE ARE SENDING COMMANDS AND
IT'S LIKE WE'RE STARTING DOWN
ROLLERCOASTER RIDE.
THE GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO HAVE THE
WORK SITE READY TO GO WITH
WHATEVER POWER NEEDED TO BE
REMOVED FOR SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS, JUST WHEN THE
CREW GOT TO THE WORK SITE, ALL
OF A SUDDEN WE HEAR OVER THE
LOOP WE HEAR JOHN SAY, I HAVE A
LEAK.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> A WATER LEAK IN A SUIT, YOU
KNOW, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
>> AND AL COMES ON THE LOOP AND
TELLS US, STOP DOING THE
COMMANDING, WE NEED TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FROM
THIS POINT.
WHAT WE NEEDILY DID WAS STARTED
TO ASSESS WHAT COMPONENTS WE'VE
POWERED OFF.
>> YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS DON'T
HAVE A MARGIN, WE'RE UP TO THE
LINE.
>> OUR THERMAL ENGINEERS WOULD
TELL US, GIVEN THE CONDITION AND
THE CURRENT TEMPERATURES, WE'VE
GOT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
>> SAID, OKAY, TURN ON THIS.
TURN ON THIS INSTRUMENT.
TURN ON THESE BUS HEATERS.
>> AT THE SAME TIME THE
ASTRONAUTS ARE WORKING
FRANTICALLY TO CHANGE OUST
JOHN'S SUIT GET HIM READY.
>> WE'VE GOT IT FIXED, THE NEXT
THING WE HEAR.
>> WE'RE WORKING WELL AND TURNED
RIGHT BACK AROUND AND SHUTTING
THINGS BACK OFF.
>> WE WERE RIGHT BACK ON THE
ROLLERCOASTER OF POWERING DOWN
AGAIN.
>> IT WAS A RELIEF TO ME WE'RE
BACK ON TRACK, BACK TO THE
ORIGINAL PLAN.
>> LUCKILY WE HAD EVERYTHING
RECONFIGURED IN TIME BY THE TIME
THAT JOHN GOT TO THE DOOR AND
READY TO BE WORKING ON IT.
>> POWERED DOWN.
>> PEOPLE, YOU'RE GENIUSES.
>> IT WAS COMPLETELY OFF.
>> TO WATCH THE TEMPERATURES,
WATCH THE VOLTAGES AND POWER,
WATCHING EVERYTHING WHILE
THEY'RE WORKING ON THE HUBBLE
TELESCOPE.
WE HAD NONE OF THAT.
>> AND WE WATCHED JOHN PERFORM
THE MOST EVA OF ALL TIME, LIKE
WATCHING POETRY IN MOTION.
BEFORE WE KNEW IT, IT WAS TIME
TO POWER THINGS BACK ON.
>> AND WE GIVE US THE CALL TO GO
FOR THE TEST AND ASSUME COMMAND
AND TURN THE TELESCOPE BACK ON.
>> ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS FLOOD
OF TELEMETRY COMES FROM THE
TELESCOPE.
>> POWER WAS RUNNING THROUGH IT,
THE BATTERIES WERE CHARGING AND
FOR ME, THE TEMPERATURES WERE
LOOKING IN A SAFE, YOU KNOW,
RANGE.
>> EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT THEIR
SCREENS AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH
JUST GREEN ACROSS THE BOARD.