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Space Robot Maker MDA Nets Hubble Repair Contract
hyperlinx writes "MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. said on Wednesday it has signed a $154 million deal to help NASA's controversial repair mission to fix the aging Hubble Space Telescope. The Canadian firm that built the Canadarm robotic arm technology used on NASA's space shuttles won the contract 'to provide a potential information and robotic servicing solution' in a rescue project being eyed for 2007."
What exactly does this robotic mission promise to accomplish?
I don't mean to be negative (if they can, great!), but it is not exactly an easy job to unscrew bolts and fastners by hand, even on ground!
I forgot what is built in as a modular unit without many mechanical parts to support. Solar panel and batteries may be replaceable with care. But can someone tell me if a gryoscope can be replaced without using Philip screwdriver? I know that some science instruments are fastened with bolts. I'm not holding my breath that $154M robotic mission can replace the STIS or install the COS for the Hubble.
Anyway, if they can fix the Hubble, great. I'd even call that the replacement of solar panels, batteries, and gryoscopes would receive a "successful" tag.
Now that new fuel tanks for the shuttle have been completed why not a manned mission? Will the satellite fail before the next launch scheduled for May or June?
Right, because we _just_ discovered this Space Shuttle thing was dangerous 2 years ago february. I've never bought that argument, and I don't buy it now. We've know the thing is dangerous since its creation. Since when did the human race (or at least the US) turn into a bunch of whiny little gits that don't want to take any risk of "people dying"? How many people have died for a far smaller payoff like climbing Mt. Everest? The astronauts are willing to do it, and the Shuttle itself probbably couldn't be repaired in orbit at the space station anyway.
The real deal is the administrators are covering their collective asses. No one wants to go down in the media shitstorm if a Shuttle is lost repairing hubble. Another casualty of our reactive media-wacko society.
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