Spaceflight Now



Mission: STS-109




Orbiter: Columbia
Launch: March 1, 2002
Site: Pad 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Payload: Hubble Servicing 3B
Landing: March 12, 2002
Site: Runway 33, KSC
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Shuttle History Series




STS-1 - America's first space shuttle mission.

STS-3 - Columbia's third test flight.

STS-51A - Daring mission to deploy and retrieve satellites in space.

STS-31 - Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS-49 - Rescue of Intelsat spacecraft on Endeavour's maiden voyage.

STS-105 - Mission to swap International Space station resident crews.

STS-108 - Space station crew exchange and Sept. 11 remembrance.

STS-109 - Fourth servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS-110 - Space station grows with addition of new truss.

STS-111 - A new station crew launched to continue international foothold in space.

STS-112 - Launching the outward expansion of the space station's truss backbone.

STS-113 - Continuing station construction while exchanging its resident crews.




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STS-109: Rejuvenating the Hubble Space Telescope

Shuttle Columbia makes a long distance service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, giving the observatory a new power system and extending its scientific reach into the Universe. Astronauts performed five highly successful spacewalks during the mission.

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Preview of Hubble servicing mission
Mission overview
Bryan Austin, the lead flight director of STS-109, presents a highly detailed half-hour briefing of this Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

Payload tour
Take a narrated tour of shuttle Columbia's payload bay with this animation package to learn more about the equipment and hardware being launched for the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Bryan Austin narrates.
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Retrieval animation
The orbiting Hubble Space Telescope is captured by Columbia's robotic arm and mounted into the shuttle's payload bay. Hubble's twin solar arrays are then retracted in preparation for their upcoming removal. This animation narrated by Austin.
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Solar array replacement
Austin narrates this animation showing the two new solar arrays being installed on the Hubble Space Telescope during the first two days of spacewalks of Columbia's mission.
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Hubble redeployed
With the servicing completed, Columbia's robotic arm lifts the Hubble Space Telescope out of the payload and redeploys the observatory as shown in this animation narrated by Austin.
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Hubble servicing
Preston Burch, the Hubble Space Telescope program manager, reviews the previous servicing missions and describes the equipment to be installed during Columbia's flight in this 23-minute presentation.
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Spacewalk preview
STS-109 Lead EVA Officer Dana Weigel presents a complete 21-minute preview of the five spacewalks to be performed during Columbia's mission, including full narrated animation packages.
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Hubble insight
Anne Kinney, Director of the Astronomy and Physics Division at NASA Headquarters, explains the need to upgrade Hubble and shows video highlights of past servicing missions.
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Mission Director
STS-109 Mission Director Phil Engelauf puts Columbia's flight into prospective with a broad overview of this fourth Hubble servicing flight.
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Astronaut briefing
The seven astronauts of Columbia's STS-109 mission talk with local reporters at Kennedy Space Center during a break in launch countdown training.
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Columbia rolls out
Riding atop an Apollo-era transporter, space shuttle Columbia is rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39A for its mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Transporter expert
Thurston Vickery, manager of the Crawler Transporter Group, discusses the labor in keeping the crawlers operating after more then 30 years of service. Columbia's move to the pad was delayed because of a steering problem with its crawler.
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Columbia's countdown to launch
Wednesday's status
Watch the entire Launch Minus-1 Day Countdown Status Briefing from Feb. 27 with NASA Public Affairs Officer George Diller, STS-109 Mission Manager Scott Higginbotham and Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters.
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Tuesday's status
Watch the entire Launch Minus-2 Day Countdown Status Briefing from Feb. 26 with NASA Test Director Pete Nickolenko, STS-109 Mission Manager Scott Higginbotham and Shuttle Weather Officer Ed Priselac.
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Crew arrival
The seven astronauts of shuttle Columbia's mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope arrive at Kennedy Space Center early Monday, Feb. 25 and make a few comments.
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Monday's status
Watch the entire Launch Minus-3 Day Countdown Status Briefing from Feb. 25 with NASA Test Director Steve Altemus, STS-109 Mission Manager Scott Higginbotham and Shuttle Weather Officer Ed Priselac.
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Launch of Columbia for Hubble servicing
Heading to pad
The seven Columbia astronauts depart crew quarters to board the "Astrovan" for the ride to launch pad 39A.
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Pilot aboard
Columbia's rookie pilot, Duane Carey, climbs into his seat on the flight deck of the shuttle as captured from an onboard video camera.
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Climbing into middeck
Mission specialist Mike Massimino makes his way through Columbia's hatch and to his seat on the middeck of the shuttle as seen by an onboard video camera.
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The launch
Space shuttle Columbia launch on the fourth Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission in this 3-minute clip from lift off through solid rocket booster separation.
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Tower cam
A camera mounted on the launch pad Fixed Service Structure tower captures the shuttle's liftoff. The "twang" that occurs at main engine start is clearly visible.
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Dawn launch
A camera positioned west of the launch pad shows Columbia's spectacular liftoff with the first rays of sunrise rising in the east.
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Tracker
A powerful tracking camera located to the north of the launch pad follows shuttle Columbia from ignition through rocket jettison.
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Press Site
Space shuttle Columbia launch on the fourth Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission in this 3-minute clip from lift off through solid rocket booster separation.
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VAB roof
Shuttle Columbia's launch as seen from the roof of Kennedy Space Center's 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building.
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Pad parameter
The pad parameter camera shows a side view of Columbia's launch and dramatically follows the shuttle through its roll program, looking up at the vehicle.
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Tank separation
The astronauts use a hand-held camcorder to capture this footage of the spent external fuel tank falling back to Earth after separation from shuttle Columbia.
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Firing Room
After watching his first space shuttle launch in person, new NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe speaks to the launch team in Firing Room 1 at the Launch Control Center.
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O'Keefe briefing
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe holds a news conference after Columbia's launch at the Kennedy Space Center press site.
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Post-launch news conference
Jim Halsell, the chairman of the Mission Management Team, and Mike Leinbach, the shuttle launch director, brief reporters at Kennedy Space Center at Columbia's post-launch news conference.
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Columbia suffers cooling problem
Problem studied
Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore provides an update on Columbia's freon loop problem on Friday evening, just hours after launch.
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Mission to continue
Ron Dittemore announces the mission management team's decision on Saturday afternoon to proceed with the mission.
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Flight Day 2 of Columbia's mission
Mission preview
This video report package provides a detailed preview of Columbia's mission to repair and enhance the Hubble Space Telescope.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

Status briefing
Bryan Austin, lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director, briefs the news media on the progress of the STS-109 mission on Saturday, March 2.
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Crew interview
Marsha Dunn of the Associated Press interviews Columbia astronauts Scott Altman, John Grunsfeld and Nancy Currie.
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Flight Day 3: Retrieval of Hubble
Hubble captured
Commander Scott Altman pilots shuttle Columbia through the final approach to the Hubble Space Telescope, then robot arm operator Nancy Currie captures the observatory.
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First array rolled up
Retraction of the Hubble Space Telescope's starboard solar array in preparation for its removal and replacement during the first spacewalk.
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Port side array
The port side solar array on the Hubble Space Telescope is rolled up in preparation for its removal and replacement during the second spacewalk.
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Status briefing
Wayne Hale, Mission Operations Representative, Bryan Austin, lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director, and Preston Burch, HST Program Manager, brief the news media on the STS-109 mission on Sunday, March 3.
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Flight Day 4: Spacewalkers replace array
Spacewalk begins
Mission specialist John Grunsfeld, the payload commander for this fourth Hubble servicing mission, floats of out Columbia's airlock to begin the first spacewalk of the flight.
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Rookie spacewalker
Mission specialist Rick Linnehan emerges from shuttle Columbia's airlock to begin his first ever spacewalk.
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Old array removed
Grunsfeld uses a power tool to loosen a clamp band and release the old starboard solar array from Hubble as seen by a video camera mounted to his helmet. Riding on the shuttle's robot arm, Linnehan then maneuvers the array away from the observatory.
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Array stowed
The starboard solar array that has been on Hubble since December 1993 is stowed on a carrier in shuttle Columbia's payload bay by the spacewalkers for return to Earth.
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New array deployed
The spacewalkers open up the newly installed starboard solar array on the Hubble Space Telescope. Although smaller in size, the array is more powerful than the one it replaced.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-109 Flight Director Bryan Austin, HST Program Manager Preston Burch, Director of Astronomy and Physics Division NASA HQ Anne Kinney and Lead EVA Officer Dana Weigal brief the news media after the first spacewalk on Monday, March 4.
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Flight Day 5: Hubble gets second array
Veteran spacewalker
Astronaut Jim Newman floats of out of the shuttle Columbia's airlock for his fifth spacewalk.
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Rookie spacewalker
Mike Massimino makes his way out of Columbia's airlock for his first spacewalk. He then climbs aboard the shuttle's robotic arm.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

     
Old array berthed
Having removed the old port-side solar array from the Hubble Space Telescope, the spacewalkers mount the array to a carrier platform in Columbia's payload bay for return to Earth.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

New array attached
Riding on the end of Columbia's robot arm, Mike Massimino maneuvers the new port-side solar array to its attachment to Hubble. Jim Newman then bolts the array in place.
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Removing wheel
Spacewalker Mike Massimino removes the suspect Reaction Wheel Assembly from the Hubble Space Telescope. The unit, which had a brief problem last November, is used in pointing the observatory.
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New wheel
As viewed from his helmetcam, Mike Massimino mounts the new Reaction Wheel Assembly to Hubble and bolts it into place.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director Bryan Austin, HST Program Manager Preston Burch, HST Program Scientist Dave Leckrone and Lead EVA Officer Dana Weigal brief the news media on the STS-109 mission following the successful completion of the second spacewalk.
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Flight Day 6: Hubble heart transplant
Suit water leak
The Columbia crew uses towels to contain the water leaking from John Grunsfeld's spacewalking spacesuit.
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Switching spacesuits
The astronauts re-size another spacesuit to fit John Grunsfeld after a water leak caused his original suit to be no longer wearable.
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Unhooking PCU
Spacewalker Rick Linnehan works to unhook a couple dozen cables connecting the Power Control Unit to Hubble.
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Removing old PCU
Riding on the end of Columbia's robotic arm, spacewalker John Grunsfeld pulls the old Power Control Unit out of the Hubble Space Telescope.
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New PCU installed
Grunsfeld installs the new Power Control Unit, the electrical heart of the Hubble Space Telescope.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

Connecting new PCU
Grunsfeld mates the numerous connectors between the new Power Control Unit and Hubble, completing the risky transplant.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director Bryan Austin, Lead EVA Officer Dana Weigal, HST Program Manager Preston Burch, and Director of Astronomy and Physics Division NASA HQ Anne Kinney brief the news media on the STS-109 mission following the successful completion of the third spacewalk.
  QuickTime or RealVideo


     
Flight Day 7: Advanced camera for Hubble
New Hubble camera
Jim Newman, riding on the end of shuttle Columbia's robot arm, lifts the Advanced Camera for Surveys out of its launch carrier and slides the phone booth-sized instrument into the observatory.
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Old camera replaced
The Faint Object Camera, the last of Hubble's original instruments, was removed from the telescope to make way for the Advanced Camera for Surveys. Seen here the spacewalkers put the FOC in the ACS' launch carrier for return to Earth.
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NICMOS electronics
Mike Massimino, on the shuttle's robot arm, maneuvers the NICMOS electronics support module into the telescope for attachment.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director Bryan Austin, Lead EVA Officer Dana Weigal HST Program Manager Preston Burch, Deputy Principal Investigator Advanced Camera for Surveys Garth Illingworth, brief the news media on the STS-109 mission following the successful fourth spacewalk.
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Flight Day 8: Final spacewalk of mission
Spacewalks end
Spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Rick Linnehan make some remarks as they complete the fifth and final spacewalk of Columbia's Hubble service call.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director Bryan Austin, Lead EVA Officer Dana Weigal HST Program Manager Preston Burch, and Lead Scientist NICMOS cooling system Ed Cheng brief the news media on the STS-109 mission following the successful fifth spacewalk.
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Flight Day 9: Deployment of Hubble
Grappled for deploy
In preparation for deployment, Columbia's robotic arm grapples the Hubble Space Telescope, which is sitting on the servicing platform in the rear of the shuttle's payload bay.
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Hubble released
The rejuvenated Hubble Space Telescope is released from the robot arm of shuttle Columbia to resume flying on its own following the successful fourth servicing mission of the observatory.
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Crew's view
The release of the Hubble Space Telescope as seen through the flight deck windows of shuttle Columbia.
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Free-flying Hubble
This edited two-minute package features scenes of Hubble orbiting the Earth after its release from space shuttle Columbia.
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CNN interview
CNN's Miles O'Brien interviews the STS-109 crew following the successful completion of their Hubble service call.
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Status briefing
Lead STS-109 Lead Flight Director Bryan Austin, STS-109 Mission Director Phil Engelauf, Director Programs, Office of Space Sciences Ken Ledbetter HST Program Manager Preston Burch, and HST Program Scientist Dave Leckrone brief the news media on the STS-109 mission following deployment of Hubble.
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Flight Day 10: Interview of astronauts
Chat with crew
CBS's Peter King and Bill Harwood interview the STS-109 crew following the successful completion of their Hubble service call.
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Flight Day 11: Preparing for return to Earth
Classic animation
NASA animation shows the shuttle's payload bay doors being closed, the deorbit engine firing and the orbiter heading back to Earth for landing.
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Crew conference
The seven Columbia astronauts answer questions from reporters at Johnson Space Center in Houston and Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the traditional in-flight news conference.
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Status briefing
STS-109 Entry Flight Director John Shannon briefs the news media on the planned return to Earth of the space shuttle Columbia following a highly successful service call to the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Columbia makes nighttime landing
Columbia lands
The space shuttle Columbia returns to Earth following a highly successful service call to the Hubble Space Telescope as seen in this 2-minute, 21-second clip.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

End of runway
Columbia swoops in and touches down in this dramatic scene from a camera on the south end of the Kennedy Space Center runway.
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Landing in infrared
An infrared camera positioned at the middle of the Shuttle Landing Facility provides this clear view of Columbia's nighttime final approach and landing.
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Shuttle update
Linda Ham, a senior shuttle manager at the Johnson Space Center, is interviewed by NASA commentator Rob Navias after landing about the health of Columbia, success of the mission and plans for the next few shuttle flights.
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Astronauts on runway
Commander Scott Altman makes a statement on the runway after he and his crew inspect the shuttle following their safe return to Earth from a highly successful mission.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

Post-flight briefing
The crew of STS-109 speak to the news media following the conclusion of its highly successful service call to the Hubble Space Telescope in this 19-minute movie.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

     
Columbia makes nighttime landing
Columbia lands
The space shuttle Columbia returns to Earth following a highly successful service call to the Hubble Space Telescope as seen in this 2-minute, 21-second clip.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

End of runway
Columbia swoops in and touches down in this dramatic scene from a camera on the south end of the Kennedy Space Center runway.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

     
Landing in infrared
An infrared camera positioned at the middle of the Shuttle Landing Facility provides this clear view of Columbia's nighttime final approach and landing.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

Shuttle update
Linda Ham, a senior shuttle manager at the Johnson Space Center, is interviewed by NASA commentator Rob Navias after landing about the health of Columbia, success of the mission and plans for the next few shuttle flights.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

     
Astronauts on runway
Commander Scott Altman makes a statement on the runway after he and his crew inspect the shuttle following their safe return to Earth from a highly successful mission.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

Post-flight briefing
The crew of STS-109 speak to the news media following the conclusion of its highly successful service call to the Hubble Space Telescope in this 19-minute movie.
  QuickTime or RealVideo

     
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