Spaceflight Now: STS-103 Mission Report
Photo Gallery:
First spacewalk

SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: December 23, 1999


During the first spacewalk of mission STS-103, astronauts successfully installed six fresh gyroscopes to fix the Hubble Space Telescope's broken pointing system and voltage regulators to protect the observatory's batteries. Images from NASA.

Suiting up
John Grunsfeld dons his spacewalking suit aboard shuttle Discovery prior to the first EVA.
Suiting up
Getting set up
Steve Smith installs a foot restraint on the end of Discovery's robotic arm. The platform will keep Smith anchored when moving around on the arm during installation of the RSUs.
Preps
What a ride
Discovery's 50-foot robotic arm was key during the spacewalk, moving Smith and Grunsfeld around the telescope and payload bay. The arm was driven by French astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy.
Riding RMS
Quite an office
Most of the first spacewalk was spent inside Hubble's aft shroud for Steve Smith. This was a unique workplace, allowing Smith to replace the failed gyroscopes that shut down Hubble's science program in November.
Inside
Keeping things packed
Spacewalker John Grunsfeld places an old Rate Sensor Unit containing two gyroscopes in a bag for return to Earth.
Stow
Thumbs up
Spacewalker Steve Smith gives a thumbs up to the crew inside shuttle Discovery.
Thumbs up
A trio shot
The tip of Hubble is seen with the full moon and Earth.
Trio
Flight data file
Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103)
Payload: HST Servicing Mission-3A
Launch date: Dec. 20, 1999
Launch window: 0050-0132 GMT (1950-2032 EST Dec. 19)
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Landing date: Dec. 27, 1999
Landing time: 2224 GMT (1724 EST)
Landing site: SLF, Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

Photo gallery
Retrieval - Images from Tuesday's rendezvous and capture of Hubble.

Launch - Images from Sunday's countdown and launch.

Video vault
British born astronaut Michael Foale removes Hubble's old computer during the second spacewalk of the mission.
  PLAY (450k QuickTime file)

Space shuttle Discovery launches on STS-103 for the third mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
  PLAY (596k QuickTime file)

Discovery's solid rocket boosters peel away from the shuttle's external fuel tank just over two minutes into flight.
  PLAY (218k QuickTime file)

The STS-103 crew depart their crew quarters on Sunday afternoon headed for launch pad 39B.
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NASA Launch Director Dave King announces that the first launch attempt on Friday was scrubbed because of bad weather.
  PLAY (253k QuickTime file)

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