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

SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: December 23, 1999


During the second spacewalk of mission STS-103, astronauts successfully replaced the Hubble Space Telescope's main computer and installed an improved fine guidance sensor used to track stars for accurate pointing of the telescope. Images from NASA TV.

Brain surgery
Perched on the end of Discovery's robot arm, astronaut Michael Foale works inside one of Hubble's equipment bays to replace its main computer.
Computer bay
Out with the old
Foale carefully removes Hubble's aging computer, before replacing it with an improved 486 system.
Computer removal
Moving the piano
European Space Agency astronaut Claude Nicollier removes the telescope's old fine guidance sensor, which is often described as being the size of a baby grand piano.
FGS move
Hanging around
Towards the end of the spacewalk Nicollier stands at the end of the shuttle's robot arm.
On the arm
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
First spacewalk - views from Wednesday's spacewalk.

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.
  PLAY (341k QuickTime file)

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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