STS-125 Mission Updates: Part 1

Atlantis Crew Gears Up for Second Hubble Spacewalk
15 May 2009 6:30 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Atlantis astronauts Michael ?Mas? Massimino and Michael ?Bueno? Good are gearing up for the second spacewalk of their mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. They are due to begin their orbital work at 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT) to replace Hubble?s six gyroscopes and half of its batteries.

Click here for more on the second spacewalk.

NASA roused the crew at 4:31 a.m. EDT (0831 GMT) with the song ?God of Wonders? written by Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd. The tune was selected for Good by his family.

?Good morning Houston, and thanks for lifting us up even higher with that song this morning,? Good radioed Mission Control.

Today is Flight Day 5 of Atlantis? 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Atlantis Crew Prepares for Second Hubble Spacewalk
14 May 2009 8:41 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ?? The astronauts aboard NASA?s shuttle Atlantis are winding down from a successful spacewalk at the Hubble Space Telescope and are preparing for their mission?s next excursion: A Friday spacewalk to replace Hubble?s gyroscopes and batteries.

Astronauts Michael Massimino and Michael Good will perform the planned 6 1/2-hour spacewalk, which includes some delicate maneuvers that will send Massimino physically inside the observatory?s innards. Massimino goes by the nickname ?Mas,? while Good ? an Air Force colonel ? goes by the call sign ?Bueno.?

?I think the Mike and Mike show will be fun, they?ve got the [gyroscopes] down to a science,? Atlantis skipper Scott Altman radioed down to Mission Control.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Astronauts Complete 1st Spacewalk at Hubble
14 May 2009 4:30 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ?? Astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel have completed the first spacewalk of their mission to Hubble Space Telescope. They began repressurizing Atlantis? airlock at 4:12 p.m. EDT (2012 GMT), officially ending the spacewalk.

The astronauts adding a new camera, repaired a vital data handling unit, attached a docking mechanism and installed some door mechanisms and greased up some doors on Hubble during their orbital work.

Total spacewalking time: 7 hours, 20 minutes.

Click here for an initial wrap of today?s spacewalking work.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Hubble Astronauts Return to Shuttle Airlock
14 May 2009 3:53 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Andrew Feustel and John Grunsfeld are nearing the end of their first workday at the Hubble Space Telescope after adding a new camera to the telescope and making vital repairs. The astronauts have returned to the Atlantis airlock after more than seven hours outside.

?I?m ready for a hot shower and good meal,? one of the spacewalkers said.

?We?ll see what we can do,? crewmate Michael Massimino said from inside Atlantis.

Click here for an initial wrap of today?s spacewalking work.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Hubble Spacewalkers Wrap Up Last Task
14 May 2009 3:23 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers Andrew Feustel and John Grunsfeld are continuing work to install equipment designed to ease their ability to open Hubble?s exterior doors, though the bolts required to secure them are giving them trouble. Mission Control told them to stand down for now.

?It?s a day of surprises,? Feustel said as they tackled the stubborn bolts.

Click here for an initial wrap of today?s spacewalking work.

The astronauts are installing three of the door-opening kits on Hubble to help ease work on their mission?s third spacewalk on Saturday. Earlier, the installed Hubble?s new Wide Field Camera 3 imager, a new data handling unit and a docking berth.

Today?s spacewalk began at 8:52 a.m. EDT (1252 GMT) and was expected to last about 6 1/2 hours.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers Tackle Final Tasks at Hubble
14 May 2009 2:32 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are wrapping up their final main task of their first spacewalk at the Hubble Space Telescope, where they?re installing a set of latch kits that will allow them to open the telescope?s equipment doors faster during a Saturday spacewalk.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Hubble?s Docking Berth Installed, Computer Data Unit Powered Up
14 May 2009 1:52 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? The new science computer data unit installed on the Hubble Space Telescope has been successfully powered up, marking another win for today?s spacewalk by astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel. The astronauts have also attached a soft docking mechanism that will allow a future robotic craft to rendezvous with Hubble and eventually send it into the Pacific Ocean.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble.

Earlier the spacewalkers installed Hubble?s new imager ? the Wide Field Camera 3 ? which has also been powered up. Weeks of additional testing from Hubble?s control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center are planned.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers Replace Hubble Computer Unit
14 May 2009 1:27 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are installing the new science computer unit they used to replace one that failed on the Hubble Space Telescope last year. The repair has gone smoothly and swiftly as they work on the 19-year-old Hubble.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers to Replace Hubble Computer Unit
14 May 2009 12:50 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? With their first chore complete, spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are pressing ahead to their second task ? the installation a new science computer unit that beams Hubble?s images and data back to Earth.

A similar device failed on Hubble last fall, forcing NASA to delay the current mission by seven months to get a spare onboard.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Hubble?s New Camera Powered Up
14 May 2009 12:16 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? While spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel stow the old camera they just replaced on the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA has confirmed that the replacement imager they installed has passed a so-called ?aliveness test? to make sure it is receiving power.

The test means the new Wide Field Camera 3 installed by the spacewalkers is ready for what will eventually be weeks of more tests by flight controllers at its mission operations center on Earth to give it a full health check in space. The spacewalkers are now stowing the old imager and have one more chore on their list: the replacement of an ailing science computer unit that beams Hubble?s images and data back to Earth.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers Install Hubble?s New Camera
14 May 2009 11:57 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel have successfully installed the Hubble Space Telescope?s new Wide Field Camera 3, the telescope?s first new instrument since 2002.

About the size of a baby grand piano, the new $132 million camera replaces Hubble?s old workhorse imager ? the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2. The old camera was installed in 1993 and will be returned to Earth for eventual display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers Prepare Hubble?s New Camera
14 May 2009 11:30 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel are working to install a brand new camera aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, the observatory?s first new instrument in seven years.

Feustel is toting the 900-pound Wide Field Camera 3 out of its packing box from the tip of Atlantis? robotic arm. The $132 million camera is about the size of a baby grand piano. The camera will replace Hubble?s workhorse imager ? the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2? which the astronauts removed earlier.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers Remove Old Hubble Camera
14 May 2009 11:02 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalker Drew Feustel has successfully loosened a tight bolt latching an old camera inside the Hubble Space Telescope after using some extra elbow grease to wrestle it free.

?Woohoo, it?s moving out!? Feustel said. Removing the bolt freed Hubble?s old Wide Field Planetary Camera 2, which has been Hubble?s workhorse imager since 1993.

?It?s been in there 16 years,? fellow spacewalker John Grunsfeld said.

?It didn?t want to come out,? Feustel replied.

The spacewalkers are replacing the camera with a new one ? Wide Field Camera 3. The old imager will be returned to Earth and has spot of honor reserved at the Smithsonian?s National Air and Space Museum.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Hubble Spacewalkers Tackle Stubborn Bolt
14 May 2009 10:22 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Spacewalker Drew Feustel is tackling a stubborn bolt on a grounding strap attached to an old Hubble Space Telescope camera he?s helping to replace in today?s spacewalk the first of five consecutive repair excursions.

The grounding strap is on the old Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on Hubble. The camera is Hubble?s old workhorse and was installed in 1993. It is being replaced with a more powerful imager, the Wide Field Camera 3 in this spacewalk.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalker Catches Loose Rivet Outside Shuttle
14 May 2009 10:00 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? With quick hands, spacewalker John Grunsfeld snatched a loose rivet before it could float away from an equipment bag in the shuttle Atlantis? payload bay as he and crewmate Andrew Feustel tackle their first chore at the Hubble Space Telescope: removing an old Wide Field Camera 2 camera.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble.

The camera was installed in 1993 and will be replaced with the new Wide Field Camera 3 in today?s spacewalk. Grunsfeld is floating free in Atlantis? payload bay while Feustel is perched at the end of the shuttle?s robotic arm.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Spacewalkers Exit Shuttle for Hubble Repairs
14 May 2009 9:17 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ?Spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel have left the Atlantis airlock and are now gathering tools for their first spacewalk to tune up the Hubble Space Telescope.

?Ready, Drew?? Grunsfeld asked his partner.

?Ready, John. Let?s go do this,? Feustel replied.

Grunsfeld exited first clad in a white NASA spacesuit with red stripes to stat his sixth career spacewalk, all of them at Hubble. Feustel is starting his first spacewalk and is wearing an all-white spacesuit

?Too cool,? Feustel said.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Astronauts Begin 1st Spacewalk for Hubble Fixes
14 May 2009 9:00 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ?Atlantis astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel have officially begun their first spacewalk of an ambitious mission to overhaul the Hubble Space Telescope as they switched their bulky spacesuits to internal battery power.

The spacewalk began at 8:52 a.m. EDT (1252 GMT), almost 45 minutes later then planned as they ran behind schedule. The astronauts will install a new camera on Hubble and fix its balky data handling device that sends images back to Earth. The spacewalk will run abtou 6 1/2 hours.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble. It is the sixth career spacewalk for Grunsfeld, a five-time spaceflyer who has spent all his spacewalking work on Hubble. It is the first for Feustel, who is making his first spacewalk.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Astronauts Depressurize Airlock for 1st Hubble Spacewalk
14 May 2009 8:46 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ?Atlantis astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are depressurizing the shuttle airlock as they prepare to begin today?s spacewalk at the Hubble Space Telescope, the first of five to upgrade the observatory. 

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble. It is the sixth career spacewalk for Grunsfeld, a five-time spaceflyer, and the first for Feustel, who is making his first spacewalk.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Hubble Astronauts Prepare to Depressurize Airlock for Spacewalk
14 May 2009 8:16 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Clad in their bulky NASA-issue spacesuits, Atlantis astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are going through a so-called pre-breathing exercise as they prepare to open the shuttle?s airlock hatch to begin today?s spacewalk at the Hubble Space Telescope.

The pre-breathing activity helps the astronauts purge nitrogen bubbles from their bodies to avoid developing the bends while working outside Atlantis. Today?s spacewalk was slated to begin at about 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT), but is running slightly behind schedule. It will run about 6 1/2 hours.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Astronauts Suit Up for First Hubble Repair Spacewalk
14 May 2009 7:51 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel have donned their NASA-issue spacesuits for their first spacewalk outside the shuttle Atlantis on Thursday to add a new camera and repair a vital device on the aging Hubble Space Telescope. The astronauts are preparing to don their NASA-issue spacesuits.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble. The excursion was slated to begin at about 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT), though the astronauts are running slightly behind schedule. Today?s spacewalk is expected to run about 6 1/2 hours.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Astronauts Prepare for First Hubble Spacewalk
14 May 2009 6:40 a.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? Astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel are preparing for their first spacewalk outside the shuttle Atlantis on Thursday to begin their five-spacewalk marathon to fix and upgrade the aging Hubble Space Telescope. The astronauts are preparing to don their NASA-issue spacesuits.

Click here for a look at today?s spacewalk at Hubble.

The spacewalk is set to begin at about 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT). Mission Control roused the astronauts at 4:31 a.m. EDT (0831 GMT) with the tune ?Stick Shifts and Safety Belts? by the band Cake. The song was chosen for Feustel, who is making his first spacwalk today.

Today is Flight Day 4 of the Atlantis crew?s 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Shuttle Astronauts Inspect Hubble Telescope
13 May 2009 3:08 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? The Atlantis astronauts have parked the school bus-sized Hubble Space Telescope in the cargo bay of their shuttle and are inspecting the observatory and its solar arrays to get a status check on the telescope?s health. They are using a camera at the tip of Atlantis? robotic arm.

Click here to read more about today?s Hubble capture by the Atlantis astronauts.

They are also routing power to Hubble through the aft-mounted berth in Atlantis? bay. The power feed ensures that Hubble?s internal power systems will be off during the complicated spacewalk repairs and upgrades planned for the next five days.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope on NASA TV. Click here for SPACE.com's NASA TV feed or follow the NASA TV link at the upper left of this page.

 - Tariq Malik

Capture! Shuttle Astronauts Catch Hubble Telescope
13 May 2009 1:18 p.m. EDT

HOUSTON ? The space shuttle Atlantis has latched onto the Hubble Space Telescope, with capture coming at 1:14 p.m. EDT (1714 GMT).

?Houston, Atlantis, Hubble has arrived onboard Atlantis in the arm!? shuttle skipper Scott Altman said.

Click here to read more about today?s work in space.

NASA is broadcasting Atlantis? STS-125 mission