Hubble Space Telescope restored to service: No repeat of those missing messages, but here's a software patch anyway

The Hubble Space Telescope team has triumphed once again and returned the veteran observatory to service. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectograph was recovered on Monday 6 December, meaning that "full science operations" are back up and all four active instruments are collecting data. Furthermore, there has been no repeat of …

[stuartnz]

Another outstanding result, worthy of many beers! The Hubble Team really are amazing, and I hope that when the HST finally shuts its eyes for the last time, the same skills, devotion and determination can keep the JWST going just as long - even if there's a *SMALL* difference between LEO and L1. :)

[oiseau]

... worthy of many beers?

Everyone on the Hubble team should get a lifetime subscripion to all the beer they want.

Their skills, devotion and determination are unparalleled.

Outstanding performance. 8^D

O.

[Eclectic Man]

HOORAY!

Well, basically "HOORAY!"

At last some happy news. Actually I am hoping for a picture of JWST by Hubble some time in the near future, just a portrait of it in unfurled and working position, assuming Hubble can focus that close.

But, basically, "HOORAY!"

[imanidiot]

Re: HOORAY!

JWST is going to L2, so HST would be pointing AWAY from the sun

I'm not sure if Hubble could track and focus JWST though, it may still be too close.

[stuartnz]

Re: HOORAY!

Thanks for the correction - I had a vague suspicion my initial L1 reference was wrong.

[Eclectic Man]

Re: HOORAY!

There is an explanatory article by NASA here:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/webb-l2.html

"Why send the Webb telescope all the way out to L2? When astronomers began to think about where the Webb telescope should be placed in space, there were several considerations to keep in mind. To begin with, the Webb telescope will view the universe entirely in infrared light, what we commonly think of as heat radiation. To give the telescope the best chance of detecting distant, dim objects in space, the coldest temperatures possible are needed."

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: HOORAY!

HST will not be able to resolve JWST (same reason it can't resolve Apollo spacecraft on Moon). For blue light (better for resolution) wavelength 450E-9m, mirror is 2.4m so HST can resolve a bit less than 1.22 * 450E-9/2.4 radians, about 2.3E-7 radians. JWST is about 20m in longest dimension and is 1.5E9m from HST (Earth-L2 distance), so subtends about 20/1.5E9 or 1.3E-8 radians, so more than ten times smaller than HST can resolve. May be able to see it as point of light, but no more.

[Sixtiesplastictrektableware]

Re: HOORAY!

I was hoping Hubs could give a wink to Webs myself.

Whatta pic that'd be.

(Edit: It appears the more knowledgeable commentards have mathly evidence to the contrary of my designs. We could build a second JWST to take pics of the first, maybe?)

[TheGriz]

3 cheers for the Hubble Team, you people are without a doubt some of the most dedicated, smartest and hard working people on the entire planet.

[Will Godfrey]

Then there's this:

Voyager

[Gene Cash]

Re: Then there's this:

Jesus... that graphic of V1 looking down on the Solar System like that... and realizing that's not KSP, not Mass Effect, not HALO, or any other video game, that's real... makes the brain go blank.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Then there's this:

And the coolest status of any man-made object in existence:

Primary Target: OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM

Type: FLYBY

Status: GOING INTERSTELLAR SINCE 2012

[Timbo]

Re: Then there's this:

"And the coolest status of any man-made object in existence:"

You mean other than Voyager 2 ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Then there's this:

Ah yes, a device that gives you a perspective on your place in all of creation, sounds pleasant.

Why do I have a hankering for fairy cake all of a sudden?

[Anonymous Coward]

NASA

It's not just the Hubble, there are so many projects they are responsible for maintaining and extending.

They are the patch kings of the universe.

[Stuart Halliday]

Brilliant job lads. Give yourself a few Beers..

[aregross]

Good Thing...

"The Hubble has four active instruments: the Advanced Camera for .... It also has a Fine Guidance Sensor for...."

Good thing it has a compass in the stock... and Thingy that tells time!

Ho, Ho, HO!

[Tom 7]

Snoopy Dance!

I really thought she was gone this time!

[Sixtiesplastictrektableware]

Re: Snoopy Dance!

Man, me three.

We're all getting older, our TV and movie stars are blinking out and then the Arecibo coming down...

Makes you wanna spend all your time braced for impact, y'know?

Snoopy dance, indeed.