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View Full Version : Hubble mission launched!



tom66
May 11th, 2009, 07:32 PM
NASA just launched Atlantis. It's going to update Hubble to give it another 5 years life, see 13.2 billion years back (~500 million years since Big Bang), and fix a redundancy problem with one of the computation systems.

You can watch it here: http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx (open with VLC).

Cool stuff.

pwnst*r
May 11th, 2009, 07:34 PM
you were watching on Science like me :)?

MaxIBoy
May 11th, 2009, 07:35 PM
Well, at least we're getting our money's worth out of that thing.

Deamos
May 11th, 2009, 07:39 PM
I just watched it take off 30 minutes ago from the house. I give those guys props. There is no way in hell you could get me in a space shuttle and shoot me in to orbit.

Sealbhach
May 11th, 2009, 07:54 PM
I just watched it take off 30 minutes ago from the house. I give those guys props. There is no way in hell you could get me in a space shuttle and shoot me in to orbit.

It's just a big missile, really. So everything went OK I guess? Did you get any good photos?

.

jespdj
May 11th, 2009, 08:00 PM
I watched it live on NASA TV and also on Discovery Channel.

It's amazing how quick it goes up, in just a few minutes it is hundreds of miles away and flying at thousands of miles an hour, and in just under 9 minutes it is already in orbit!

But it takes until Wednesday afternoon (eastern US time) before it encounters the Hubble Space Telescope.

Here's NASA's website with lots of detailed information about what they are going to repair on the Hubble and how: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/hubble_servicing/

pwnst*r
May 11th, 2009, 09:00 PM
It's just a big missile, really.
.

yep, just like one

Deamos
May 11th, 2009, 09:21 PM
It's just a big missile, really. So everything went OK I guess? Did you get any good photos?

.

LOL no good photos. I live in Daytona Beach so all you can see is the flame, smoke, and a small dot in front :D

MikeTheC
May 11th, 2009, 09:41 PM
On a clear night I can see it from where I live, but it is excruciatingly small.

Having been to a launch in person one time, I can tell you it's very, very cool. I just wish I could see a Saturn V lift off. You gotta know the Earth moved when one of those beasts launched.