Let's hear it for the crew of STS 125! The Hubble Space Telescope lives!

[Canuckistanian]

Astronauts bid farewell to Hubble telescope after 5-day service call

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Atlantis' astronauts gingerly dropped the Hubble Space Telescope overboard Tuesday, sending the restored observatory off on a new voyage of discovery and bidding it farewell on behalf of the planet.

Hubble - considered better than new following five days of repairs and upgrades - will never be seen up close by humans again. This was NASA's last service call.

The shuttle and telescope had just crossed the Atlantic, and were soaring 560 kilometres above the coast of northwestern Africa, when astronaut Megan McArthur used a robot arm to release the snares gripping Hubble. Then the shuttle slowly backed away.

"Hubble has been released," reported commander Scott Altman. "It's safely back on its journey of exploration as we begin steps to conclude ours. Looking back on this mission, it's been an incredible journey for us as well."

Mission Control radioed congratulations: "It's wonderful to see Hubble, the most famous scientific instrument of all time, newly upgraded and ready for action thanks to you."

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/science/090519/g051906A.html

Obama calls astronauts aboard shuttle Atlantis

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the astronauts aboard space shuttle Atlantis are an example of the dedication and commitment to exploration that represents America.

Obama spoke with the astronauts by telephone on Wednesday afternoon from the Oval Office. The astronauts were sent to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, a job they completed on Tuesday.

Atlantis is due to return to Florida on Friday, weather permitting.

Obama told the astronauts that their dedication and commitment to exploration are traits that have always made the country strong.

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/science/090520/g052004A.html