
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Technicians in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center perform backlight inspection and cleaning on the Fine Guidance Sensor, or FGS. The FGS is part of the payload for the fifth and final Hubble servicing mission, STS-125, aboard space shuttle Atlantis. Black light inspection uses UVA fluorescence to detect possible particulate microcontamination, minute cracks or fluid leaks. An FGS consists of a large structure housing a collection of mirrors, lenses, servos, prisms, beam splitters and photomultiplier tubes. There are three fine guidance sensors on Hubble located at 90-degree intervals around the circumference of the telescope. Along with the gyroscopes, the optical sensors are a key component of Hubble’s highly complex but extraordinarily effective “pointing control system.” Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
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NASA ID
KSC-08pd2342
Date Created
August 8, 2008
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
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