Space Shuttle Atlantis is sitting on the pad and scheduled to launch on October 10th to the Hubble Space Telescope on a “servicing mission”. This will be the 5th and likely last servicing mission to Hubble, since the shuttle is due to be retired in 2010. As usual, NASA last week conducted their press briefings on this mission, 30 days prior to launch. The briefings included the usual information about the mission, the crew, the scheduled spacewalk work, etc.
In addition to those briefings typical for any shuttle flight, they conducted a “science briefing” to explain what the work of this servicing mission was going to do for the scientific capabilities of Hubble. The purpose of the mission is primarily to A) replace two instruments with new and improved models, and B) attempt repairs of two other instruments. The science briefing was primarily to explain what the new instruments were going to do for science.
In the briefing was an all-star cast of astronomical scientists: – Ed Weiler, NASA administrator – David Leckrone, Hubble senior scientist – Robert O’Connell, committee chair for one of the two new instruments – James Green, principal investigator for the other new instrument – Heidi Hammel, scientist representing users of Hubble
Each of them made a short speech and then the rest of the briefing was turned over to questions from the press. I would encourage anyone with even a fleeting interest in science or astronomy to take the time to download and watch the entire briefing, as it is truly fantastic stuff they’re talking about, and these guys do a great job of explaining it to regular people. Certainly science could use a bit of a pep talk after weathering the last 7 years of the Bush administration’s hostility to science and objective truths.
In particular, the last person on the dais, Dr. Hammel, give an impassioned 10-minutes speech on the impact of Hubble on science and indeed on culture. It’s an astonishing and beautiful statement on where we are in astronomical science and where we may be headed if this shuttle mission goes as planned. I’m surprised the press room didn’t erupt in applause when she finished.
Dr. Hammel’s speech starts at the 38:50 mark in the first half of the briefing that I’ve linked below. If you don’t have time to watch the entire 90-minute briefing, at least watch her 10 minutes.
download page for first half of briefing download page for second half of briefing
Update 13-May-2009: Sadly, I see that the above download links no longer work. I have not been able to find the briefing on Youtube, and the repeat briefings from a couple weeks ago did not include Dr. Hammel. FORTUNATELY, I did find most of Dr. Hammel’s speech incorporated into a nice 5 minute video right here. Please check it out!