Editing Hubble Space Telescope (section)

=== Servicing Mission 4 ===
{{Main|STS-125}}
{{multiple image
| align             = left
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 220
| image1            = STS-125 May 17 EVA.jpg
| caption1          = Hubble during Servicing Mission 4
| image2            = Hubble telescope 2009.jpg
| caption2          = Hubble after release
}}

Plans called for Hubble to be serviced in February 2005, but the [[Columbia disaster|''Columbia'' disaster]] in 2003, in which the orbiter disintegrated on re-entry into the atmosphere, had wide-ranging effects to the Hubble program and other NASA missions. NASA Administrator [[Sean O'Keefe]] decided all future shuttle missions had to be able to reach the safe haven of the [[International Space Station]] should in-flight problems develop. As no shuttles were capable of reaching both HST and the space station during the same mission, future crewed service missions were canceled.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stsci.edu/resources/sm4meeting.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511180517/http://www.stsci.edu/resources/sm4meeting.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 11, 2008 |title=Servicing Mission 4 Cancelled |publisher=STScI |date=January 16, 2004 |access-date=April 28, 2008 }}</ref> This decision was criticized by numerous astronomers who felt Hubble was valuable enough to merit the human risk.<ref name=NAS2005>{{cite book |url=http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11169 |title=Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope: Final Report |publisher=The National Academies |date=2005 |doi=10.17226/11169 |isbn=978-0-309-09530-3 |access-date=December 9, 2012 |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715150046/https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11169/assessment-of-options-for-extending-the-life-of-the-hubble-space-telescope |url-status=live }} Chapter 7, "Given the intrinsic value of a serviced Hubble, and the high likelihood of success for a shuttle servicing mission, the committee judges that such a mission is worth the risk."</ref> HST's planned successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), by 2004 was not expected to launch until at least 2011. JWST was eventually launched in December 2021.<ref name="AS-20211225">{{cite press release |url=https://www.arianespace.com/press-release/ariane-5-successful-launch-webb-space-telescope/ |title=Ariane 5 goes down in history with successful launch of Webb |work=[[Arianespace]] |date=December 25, 2021 |access-date=December 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310095539/https://www.arianespace.com/press-release/ariane-5-successful-launch-webb-space-telescope/ |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> A gap in space-observing capabilities between a decommissioning of Hubble and the commissioning of a successor was of major concern to many astronomers, given the significant scientific impact of HST.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/aaac/reports/annual/aaac_2004_report.pdf |title=2004 Annual Report |publisher=Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee |at=Section 3.1{{snd}}The Scientific Impact of the HST SM4 Cancellation |date=March 15, 2004 |access-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090117/https://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/aaac/reports/annual/aaac_2004_report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The consideration that JWST will not be located in low Earth orbit, and therefore cannot be easily upgraded or repaired in the event of an early failure, only made concerns more acute. On the other hand, NASA officials were concerned that continuing to service Hubble would consume funds from other programs and delay the JWST.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Guinnessy |first=Paul |date=September 2003 |title=Astronomers Lobby for New Lease on Hubble's Life |url=http://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.1620825 |journal=Physics Today |language=en |volume=56 |issue=9 |pages=29–31 |doi=10.1063/1.1620825 |bibcode=2003PhT....56i..29G |access-date=April 6, 2022 |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715150045/https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.1620825 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2004, O'Keefe said he would review his decision to cancel the final servicing mission to HST, due to public outcry and requests from Congress for NASA to look for a way to save it. The National Academy of Sciences convened an official panel, which recommended in July 2004 that the HST should be preserved despite the apparent risks. Their report urged "NASA should take no actions that would preclude a space shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope".<ref name="Leary">{{cite news |author=Leary |first=Warren E. |date=July 14, 2004 |title=Panel Urges NASA to Save Hubble Space Telescope |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/14/us/panel-urges-nasa-to-save-hubble-space-telescope.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216104758/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/14/us/panel-urges-nasa-to-save-hubble-space-telescope.html |archive-date=February 16, 2018 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |work=The New York Times }}</ref> In August 2004, O'Keefe asked Goddard Space Flight Center to prepare a detailed proposal for a robotic service mission. These plans were later canceled, the robotic mission being described as "not feasible".<ref>{{cite news |last=Gugliotta |first=Guy |date=April 12, 2005 |title=Nominee Backs a Review of NASA's Hubble Decision |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/12/AR2005041201646.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706134527/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/12/AR2005041201646.html |archive-date=July 6, 2017 |access-date=January 10, 2007 |newspaper=The Washington Post }}</ref> In late 2004, several Congressional members, led by Senator [[Barbara Mikulski]], held public hearings and carried on a fight with much public support (including thousands of letters from school children across the U.S.) to get the Bush Administration and NASA to reconsider the decision to drop plans for a Hubble rescue mission.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=231696 |title=Mikulski Vows To Fight For Hubble |date=February 7, 2005 |publisher=[[Barbara Mikulski]] |access-date=April 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430100658/http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=231696 |archive-date=April 30, 2008}}</ref>

[[File:218582main Batt FS img1 lg.jpg|thumb|Nickel–hydrogen battery pack for Hubble]]
The nomination in April 2005 of a new NASA Administrator, [[Michael D. Griffin]], changed the situation, as Griffin stated he would consider a crewed servicing mission.<ref name="Green Light">{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15489217 |title=NASA gives green light to Hubble rescue |first=Alan |last=Boyle |publisher=NBC News |date=October 31, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2007 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104010540/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15489217/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Soon after his appointment Griffin authorized Goddard to proceed with preparations for a crewed Hubble maintenance flight, saying he would make the final decision after the next two shuttle missions. In October 2006 Griffin gave the final go-ahead, and the 11-day mission by ''Atlantis'' was scheduled for October 2008. Hubble's main data-handling unit failed in September 2008,<ref name="suddenly quiet">{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/37004/description/Hubble_suddenly_quiet |title=Hubble suddenly quiet |last=Cowen |first=Ron |publisher=ScienceNews |date=September 29, 2008 |access-date=November 8, 2012}}</ref> halting all reporting of scientific data until its back-up was brought online on October 25, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn15056-hubble-reopens-an-eye.html |title=Hubble re-opens an eye |last=Courtland |first=Rachel |work=New Scientist |date=October 28, 2008 |access-date=October 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029124801/http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn15056-hubble-reopens-an-eye.html |archive-date=October 29, 2008}}</ref> Since a failure of the backup unit would leave the HST helpless, the service mission was postponed to incorporate a replacement for the primary unit.<ref name="suddenly quiet" />

Servicing Mission 4 (SM4), flown by ''Atlantis'' in May 2009, was the last scheduled shuttle mission for HST.<ref name="SM4" /><ref name="May09">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-320_Hubble_May2009.html |title=NASA Sets Target Shuttle Launch Date for Hubble Servicing Mission |publisher=NASA |date=December 4, 2008 |access-date=December 5, 2008 |archive-date=December 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206005041/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-320_Hubble_May2009.html |url-status=live }}</ref> SM4 installed the replacement data-handling unit, repaired the ACS and STIS systems, installed improved [[nickel–hydrogen battery|nickel hydrogen batteries]], and replaced other components including all six gyroscopes. SM4 also installed two new observation instruments—Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and the [[Cosmic Origins Spectrograph]] (COS)<ref name=HST_Opens>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/ero_images.html |title=Hubble Opens New Eyes on the Universe |publisher=NASA |date=September 9, 2009 |access-date=May 28, 2012 |archive-date=May 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527231309/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/ero_images.html |url-status=live }}</ref>—and the [[Soft Capture and Rendezvous System]], which will enable the future rendezvous, capture, and safe disposal of Hubble by either a crewed or robotic mission.<ref name="Soft Capture">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/servicing/SM4/main/SCRS_FS_HTML.html |title=The Soft Capture and Rendezvous System |publisher=NASA |access-date=May 20, 2009 |archive-date=September 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911224222/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/servicing/SM4/main/SCRS_FS_HTML.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Except for the ACS's [[Advanced Camera for Surveys#High-Resolution Channel (HRC)|High Resolution Channel]], which could not be repaired and was disabled,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/science/space/10hubble.html |title=After Hubble Repair, New Images From Space |work=The New York Times |first=Dennis |last=Overbye |date=September 9, 2009 |access-date=August 1, 2015 |archive-date=November 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121090246/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/science/space/10hubble.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/science/space/18hubble.html |title=After a Yank, 'Surgery' on Hubble Optics |work=The New York Times |first=Dennis |last=Overbye |date=May 17, 2009 |access-date=August 1, 2015 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004060543/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/science/space/18hubble.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spacetelescope.org/about/history/acs_repair/ |title=Repair of the Advanced Camera for Surveys |work=SpaceTelescope.org |access-date=August 1, 2015}}</ref> the work accomplished during SM4 rendered the telescope fully functional.<ref name="SM4" />