Jun 14 1990
From The Space Library
NASA engineers revealed that problems with the Hubble Space Telescope were even more difficult to correct than first expected. The most vexing problem was a 20-minute vibration from the solar panels every 90 minutes as the craft passed from night to day. The onboard computer's attempt to compensate for the vibration only made the problem worse. Another problem was the telescope's frequent inability to lock onto the stars that it was commanded to seek. In addition, the reaction of the spacecraft to radiation over the South Atlantic, where the Van Allen belt dips closer than usual to the Earth, was more acute than expected; numerous data were lost and Use computer signals were given. It was hoped that all three problems could be remedied via modifications to the telescope's computer. (NY Times, Jun 15/90; P Inq, Jun 15/90; B Sun, Jun 15/90)
NASA's Office of Commercial Programs sponsored plans to develop a system for launching and recovering commercial spaceborne experiments. Assisted by numerous universities, the Commercial Experiment Transporter would be launched on an expendable rocket and contain both a recovery system and a service module. The two would then separate so that the experiments aboard the recovery system could land in the United States while those not requiring recovery could remain in orbit. (NASA Release 90-83)
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