Hubble Space Telescope - Case Study Example

Insert name Instructors’ name Course Date Hubble space telescope Introduction Telescope generally implies the arrangement of lenses in a way that permits gathering of light as well as direct observation of objects located at a distant. There are various devices that are adopted to ensure that the distant objects are clearly viewed for instance theviewing of distance radio telescope. The viewing of the distant objectsis facilitated by emission, transmission, reflection among other interactions with invisible radiation. Hubble space telescope is named among the astronomer Edwin Hubble among the first largest optical orbiting observatory object. The Hubble space telescope was expected to clear view of the universe from a distant of around 560 kilometers above the earth. The Hubble space telescope was launched in 1990 and remains operational up to date and is facilitated by the space shuttle (Aparicio, Martínez, Sánchez& Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, 2005, 20). The Hubble space telescope has four main instruments that facilitate the observation in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared. The Hubble space telescope has an outside distortion of the entire earth’s atmosphere that facilitates its ability to make sharp images that almost has no background light. The Hubble space telescope has deep fields that have enhanced very detailed visible light images that ensure deep space images are viewed. Manyof the Hubble space telescope observations have facilitated breakthroughs in astrophysics for instance ensuring accuracy is upheld while determining the rate of expansion of the universe. NASA has been accredited as being the developer of the Hubble space telescope technology with other contributions from European Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute. The Hubble space telescope is one of the largest observers accredited to NASA along with the Spitzer Space Technology. The Hubble space was initially funded in the early 1970s with a proposed launched in the early 1980s but was not successful due to various constraints for instance budgetary funds coupled with the challenge disaster.In 1990, the Hubble space telescopewas finally launched but there was an error as the ground mirror was erroneously placed which compromised the capabilities of the Hubble space telescope. A servicing mission was undertaken to restore the Hubble space telescope to its intended quality which was accomplished in 1993. Among the various space telescopes that have been invented over the past years, the Hubble space telescope is one of its kind as it is the only space telescope that can be serviced in space due to its unique design. Since 1993 to 2002, four missions have successfully been completed by astronauts using the Hubble space telescope during which the Hubble space telescope has been repaired, upgraded and even replaced. The fifth mission was canceled due to the Columbia disaster. However, after thorough negotiations, NASA’s boss agreed to the final servicing mission that was undertaken and completed by 2009 by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The Hubble space telescope is expected to function until 2013 as plans to launch its successor will be completed by 2018 or later. Conception, designs and aims The proposals ad precursors The history of the Hubble space telescope stretches far back to 1946 and, the Hubble space telescope has been accredited with various advantages over the ground based telescopes. First and foremost, the Hubble space telescopehas angular resolution which provides a smaller separation where objects are clearly distinguished and is only limited by diffraction. Seeing is a terminology used by astronomers which implies turbulence inthe atmosphere and causes the stars to twinkle. Compared to the ground as based astronomy that is limited to a resolution of 0.5 – 1.0 arc seconds, the space based technology has a resolution of 0.05 arc second given the 2.5m diameter. The space based technology also uses the infrared technology and ultraviolet light which are viewed as being strongly observed by the atmosphere. Space based astronomy has been growing since the World war two by utilizing the rocket technology. Over the years, NASA has been using the ultraviolet spectrum of the sun through the launching of the Orbiting solar observatory that spearheaded the obtaining of the ultraviolet rays as well as the gamma rays. The orbiting astronomical observatory and the orbiting solar observatory have together demonstrated the importance of the space based observation and its relevance to the astronomy discipline. In 1968, NASA developed the first space based telescope that had a 3 m reflecting mirror in diameter and was initially known as large space telescope. The initiative was very expensive and hence the key objective was to ensure that the program had a lengthy working program to inculcate the concurrent development plans that were underway for the reusable space shuttle that soon became viable (Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, Livio, Noll, Stiavelli, & Space Telescope Science Institute, 2002, 232). Quest for funding The Hubble space telescope is continually on the verge of success due to strong consensus in the astronomical community. NASA has established two committees that have been bestowed the responsibility to plan the engineering side of the space based technology as well as determining the missions scientific goals. Once the first mission is accomplished, the funding hurdle was then to be tackled by NASA. It was evident that the space based telescope would be more expensive as compared to the earth based projects. The proposed budget had to be slashed at the initial planning stages as the US congress deemed it fit. In response, the astronomers organized a nationwide lobbying effort where the astronomers met the congressmen and the senators in the campaigns. After these conclusive campaigns, NASA published a report that meant to emphasize on the magnitude of the space based technology and as a result the senate conformed to approving half the budgetapproved by congress. The funding reduction led to a reduction in the whole project and thus the diameter of the mirror was reduced from 3 m to 2.4 m to facilitate a reduction in the overall costs. Construction and engineering Since the space based telescope project had been awarded the relevant permission to go ahead, the work was divided among various institutions. The design development and construction phase was awarded to a particular institution as well as the ground control for the mission. Another institution was commissioned with the responsibility to integrate the spacecraft in which finally the Hubble space telescope would be housed. Spacecraft systems One of the major challenges facing the construction of the Hubble space telescope was the spacecraft system which was the housing of the telescope. The variation of direct sunlight, darkness as a result of the earth’s shadow and changes in temperature had to be taken into account to ensure that the accuracy of the Hubble space telescope was well enhanced. A multiplayer insulation was installed in the Hubble space telescope to ensure that the temperature of the space based telescope was maintained as stable as possible. A light aluminum shell made of graphite epoxy frames was also installed on the Hubble space telescopethat was meant to keep the functioning parts of the telescope well aligned. There were also budget related problems that were experienced by the developing institution and resulted to a lag behind the schedule. Initial instruments (Chaisson, 1998, 30). Once launched, the Hubble space telescope had five observation instruments which include, the faint object spectrograph (FOS), the wide field together with the planetary camera (WF/PC), the high speed photometer (HSP), the Goddard high resolution spectrograph (GHRS) and finally the faint object camera (FOC). The instruments together ensured that the imaging device had the highest possible resolution that would appropriately enhance clear optical observations. The Hubble space telescope also has a guidance system that can be used as observation system as it has three fine guidance sensors that are used to ensure accuracy is maintained upholding a record measuring accuracy of 0.0003 arc seconds. Ground support The institute responsible with the ground support was the space telescope science institute as it was bestowed the responsibility of delivering the right products to the astronomers. The major or rather complex challenge that befell the space telescope science institute entailed scheduling of the observations of the Hubble space telescope. This was due to the fact, the Hubble space telescope could comfortably service the low earth orbit missions but the targets had to occult slightly. This is because; the Hubble space telescope would not manage to sustain observations via the South Atlantic Anomaly because there was elevated radiation levels and as such there was no exclusion zone around the sun. This posed as another challenge to the observation project using the Hubble space telescope (National Research Council, 2005, 232). In the upper atmosphere, the Hubble space telescope’s orbit was around an altitude of around 347 miles and the position around the orbit changes gradually hence it is not accurate or very predictable. In addition of the atmosphere for instance the upper atmosphere varies due to number factors which have to be put into consideration as failure to this would amount to a severe error in the estimates obtained. After a long lead time, there is a high probability that the target would still be unobservable but would still be observed over time. Challenges faced before the launch of the Hubble space telescope The challenger disaster that hit the US space program in the mid-1980s brought the entire program to a standstill. This grounded the entire space project forcing the launch the Hubble space telescope be postponed. The Hubble space telescope had to be maintained in a clean room that was powered inclusive with nitrogenuntil the launch would be successfully rescheduled. The cost involved was up to a tune of $6 million in a given month and thus disrupting the original budget Mohamed, Y & Reshetnikov, V. (2011.p.155-161).However, the lapse in time accorded time to the engineers to carry out substantive tests to clarify on certain areas. Eventually, the shuttle flights resumed in 1988 and the Hubble space telescope was planned in 1990. However, by the time the launch was being finalized, the budget had amounted to a staggering $ 2.5 billion dollars from the planned US$ 400 million dollars. The Hubble space telescope was launched in 1990 and some errors were later revealed and corrected in 1993. Work cited Aparicio, A., Martínez, P. V., Sánchez, F., & Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics. (2005). Payload and mission definition in space sciences: [the 2003 Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics]. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press. Chaisson, E. (1998). The Hubble wars. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. National Research Council. (2005). Assessment of options for extending the life of the Hubble Space telescope: Final report. Washington: National Academy Press. Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, Livio, M., Noll, K. S., Stiavelli, M., & Space Telescope Science Institute. (2002). A decade of HST science: Proceedings of the Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, held in Baltimore, Maryland, April 11-14, 2000. New York: Cambridge University Press. VanCleave, J. P. (2008). Janice VanCleave's super science challenges: Hands-on inquiry projects for schools, science fairs, or just plain fun!. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Mohamed, Y & Reshetnikov, V. (2011). Interacting galaxies in deep fields of the Hubble Space Telescope. Astrophysics, 54 (2), p155-161 Read More

Since 1993 to 2002, four missions have successfully been completed by astronauts using the Hubble space telescope during which the Hubble space telescope has been repaired, upgraded and even replaced. The fifth mission was canceled due to the Columbia disaster. However, after thorough negotiations, NASA’s boss agreed to the final servicing mission that was undertaken and completed by 2009 by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The Hubble space telescope is expected to function until 2013 as plans to launch its successor will be completed by 2018 or later.

Conception, designs and aims The proposals ad precursors The history of the Hubble space telescope stretches far back to 1946 and, the Hubble space telescope has been accredited with various advantages over the ground based telescopes. First and foremost, the Hubble space telescopehas angular resolution which provides a smaller separation where objects are clearly distinguished and is only limited by diffraction. Seeing is a terminology used by astronomers which implies turbulence inthe atmosphere and causes the stars to twinkle.

Compared to the ground as based astronomy that is limited to a resolution of 0.5 – 1.0 arc seconds, the space based technology has a resolution of 0.05 arc second given the 2.5m diameter. The space based technology also uses the infrared technology and ultraviolet light which are viewed as being strongly observed by the atmosphere. Space based astronomy has been growing since the World war two by utilizing the rocket technology. Over the years, NASA has been using the ultraviolet spectrum of the sun through the launching of the Orbiting solar observatory that spearheaded the obtaining of the ultraviolet rays as well as the gamma rays.

The orbiting astronomical observatory and the orbiting solar observatory have together demonstrated the importance of the space based observation and its relevance to the astronomy discipline. In 1968, NASA developed the first space based telescope that had a 3 m reflecting mirror in diameter and was initially known as large space telescope. The initiative was very expensive and hence the key objective was to ensure that the program had a lengthy working program to inculcate the concurrent development plans that were underway for the reusable space shuttle that soon became viable (Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, Livio, Noll, Stiavelli, & Space Telescope Science Institute, 2002, 232).

Quest for funding The Hubble space telescope is continually on the verge of success due to strong consensus in the astronomical community. NASA has established two committees that have been bestowed the responsibility to plan the engineering side of the space based technology as well as determining the missions scientific goals. Once the first mission is accomplished, the funding hurdle was then to be tackled by NASA. It was evident that the space based telescope would be more expensive as compared to the earth based projects.

The proposed budget had to be slashed at the initial planning stages as the US congress deemed it fit. In response, the astronomers organized a nationwide lobbying effort where the astronomers met the congressmen and the senators in the campaigns. After these conclusive campaigns, NASA published a report that meant to emphasize on the magnitude of the space based technology and as a result the senate conformed to approving half the budgetapproved by congress. The funding reduction led to a reduction in the whole project and thus the diameter of the mirror was reduced from 3 m to 2.

4 m to facilitate a reduction in the overall costs. Construction and engineering Since the space based telescope project had been awarded the relevant permission to go ahead, the work was divided among various institutions. The design development and construction phase was awarded to a particular institution as well as the ground control for the mission. Another institution was commissioned with the responsibility to integrate the spacecraft in which finally the Hubble space telescope would be housed.

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