A simple mistake in properly setting up a measuring device caused millions of dollars to be spent in correcting the initial optical failure of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This short article is intended as a lesson for a physics laboratory and discussion of errors in measurement.
References
1.
For a brief history of the Hubble Space Telescope, visit http://www.history.nasa.gov/hubble/index.html. For a detailed account of the Hubble Space Telescope, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubble_Space_Telescope.
2.
For extensive information, including a free e-book, about the 25th-year anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope and more, visit http://hubble25th.org/.
3.
“
The Hubble Space Telescope Optical Systems Failure Report
,” NASA-TM-103443
(Nov.
1990
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“Report of the HST Strategy Panel: A Strategy for Recovery,” edited by
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andH. C.
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(Space Telescope Science Institute
, Baltimore, MD
, 1990
), p. 74
, andR. L.
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, “The HST Spherical Aberration and its Effects on Images,” in The Restoration of HST Images and Spectra: Proceedings of a Workshop Held at the Space Telescope Science Institute
, edited by R. L.
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and R. J.
Allen
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–6
. 5.
“
Communication Aberration
,” NASA, System Failure Case Studies
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C.
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, How NASA Builds Teams: Mission Critical Soft Skills for Scientists, Engineers, and Project Teams
(Wiley
, Hoboken, NJ
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).© 2016 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2016
American Association of Physics Teachers
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