Opinion

Hubble's final triumph On the Hubble Telescope

This image provided by NASA shows the Hubble Space Telescope after it's release from the Space Shuttle Atlantis Tuesday May 19, 2009 as the two spacecraft continue their relative separation after having been linked together for the better part of a week. During the week five spacewalks were performed to complete the final servicing mission for the orbital observatory. (AP Photo/NASA) less This image provided by NASA shows the Hubble Space Telescope after it's release from the Space Shuttle Atlantis Tuesday May 19, 2009 as the two spacecraft continue their relative separation after having been ... more Photo: AP Photo: AP Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Hubble's final triumph 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Picture the universe as a star-salted blue-black expanse. Chances are that image came from the Hubble Space Telescope, which has churned out space vistas for nearly 20 years from its orbit above Earth.

This past week the Hubble got the handy-man treatment from astronauts who made a floating house call from the space shuttle Atlantis. New gyroscopes, fresh batteries, a camera and a computer data unit were installed.

Matching the marvel of Hubble was the treatment it got. The space crews made repairs never before done in space. The altitude of 350 miles put the team in a anger zone created by whizzing space junk. There was no safety net if the shuttle was damaged or a repair mishandled.

It all went smoothly, though with a trace of regret. The Hubble can now back to work peering into deep space, but there won't be another house call. After a long life and $10 billion, the telescope will wind down, its job done in another five to 10 years.

What did the Hubble achieve, besides sending back screen-saver art and magazine cover pictures? It was a rigorous scientific tool, measuring the universe's expansion, the nature of black holes, and the formation of our planetary system.

The telescope encapsulated the challenge of space. Amid dangers and uncertainties, the Hubble and its human attendants persevered. Science and human spirit are infinitely better for it.