Astronauts work on bus sized hubble LIVE

[metsfan]

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

 

430 miles up, 25,000 mph, working on the most important scientific tool NASA has ever launched. Hubble never sleeps it is tasked with observation jobs 24/7, and this last visit will upgrade it vastly from its original specs.

 

So called "hubble huggers" hope that this mission, while vitally important to the Space Telescope mission, will open the door to possible future missions, as the current mission will give Hubble another 5-10 years of life. If a future mission is possible, it would be a boon to scientists, some who have made a career out of the famed telescope. NASA officials will not speculate on any future missions, because the SST (space shuttle transport) system is due to be retired by the end of 2010. The SST is currently the only craft cable of docking with, bringing up parts for, and boosting the orbit of hubble. The last spacewalk is the least looked forward for these "Hubble huggers" as it will be to attach a bracket, that in 2012 will enable a robotic control module to attach when launched to the telescope, to allow thrusters built into the module to bring it down safely to earth when its service life is finally up.

 

Please watch LIVE as the current spacewalk is underway, and tune in for future mission events, and other events on future missions!

 

- A