Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day we feature a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

November 16, 1995

Repairing Hubble
Credit: NASA, STS-61 Crew.

Explanation: The first Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing mission, STS-61, was one of the most complicated shuttle missions ever planned. Launched on December 2, 1993 in the Space Shuttle Endeavor, the astronauts were required to make 5 space walks to repair the HST. Astronaut F. Story Musgrave, holding one of the handrails on the HST, is seen here during what became the second longest space walk in NASA history at just under 8 hours. The highly successful mission demonstrated the ability of shuttle astronauts to repair satellites in orbit and allowed the HST to continue to explore the Universe. A future HST servicing mission is planned for 1997.

Tomorrow's picture: The Sun Also Rises

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (GMU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA).
NASA Technical Rep.: Sherri Calvo. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA/ GSFC