1
00:00:02,703 --> 00:00:04,403
MISSION CONTROL:
Lift off of the Space Shuttle
Discovery
2
00:00:04,405 --> 00:00:06,271
with the Hubble Space Telescope.
3
00:00:06,273 --> 00:00:08,407
CAPCOM, we have a go
for release.
4
00:00:08,409 --> 00:00:11,477
NARRATOR:
It may be the boldest experiment
ever undertaken in astronomy...
5
00:00:11,479 --> 00:00:14,046
(cheering)
6
00:00:14,048 --> 00:00:17,483
...with a legacy
that will endure for centuries.
7
00:00:17,485 --> 00:00:20,419
WOMAN:
You have been awarded
the Nobel Prize in Physics.
8
00:00:20,421 --> 00:00:24,256
MATT MOUNTAIN:
The Hubble Space Telescope is
probably the most scientifically
9
00:00:24,258 --> 00:00:25,724
productive instrument
in history.
10
00:00:25,726 --> 00:00:30,462
NARRATOR:
This single tool--
the Hubble Space Telescope--
11
00:00:30,464 --> 00:00:34,033
has revealed the size
and age of the universe,
12
00:00:34,035 --> 00:00:39,772
the birthplace of stars, and
the existence of black holes.
13
00:00:39,774 --> 00:00:43,976
It's helped us find planets
like our own
14
00:00:43,978 --> 00:00:46,345
in far-off solar systems
15
00:00:46,347 --> 00:00:50,649
and a mysterious force--
dark energy--
16
00:00:50,651 --> 00:00:53,952
that makes up about 70%
of the universe.
17
00:00:53,954 --> 00:00:57,089
AMBER STRAUGHN:
The Hubble Space Telescope
has completely changed the way
18
00:00:57,091 --> 00:01:00,759
that we as scientists
understand the universe.
19
00:01:00,761 --> 00:01:04,063
NARRATOR:
The story of Hubble
is a story of discovery.
20
00:01:07,468 --> 00:01:09,101
It's also the story
21
00:01:09,103 --> 00:01:12,638
of one of the biggest blunders
in the history of science.
22
00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,041
SANDRA FABER:
This is the moment we find out
23
00:01:16,043 --> 00:01:17,376
that we are doomed to failure.
24
00:01:17,378 --> 00:01:20,079
Is it possible that you could
bring the telescope back?
25
00:01:20,081 --> 00:01:24,416
NARRATOR:
And of the genius and courage
that saved the day.
26
00:01:24,418 --> 00:01:26,018
STORY MUSGRAVE:
The moment of truth is coming.
27
00:01:26,020 --> 00:01:29,421
You can't run from it anymore,
it's coming, there it is.
28
00:01:29,423 --> 00:01:32,891
NARRATOR:
Now, on Hubble's
25th anniversary,
29
00:01:32,893 --> 00:01:35,060
NOVA tells the remarkable tale
30
00:01:35,062 --> 00:01:39,164
of how this magnificent machine
was built,
31
00:01:39,166 --> 00:01:43,802
how it has solved some of our
most enduring mysteries,
32
00:01:43,804 --> 00:01:46,872
and how it is showing us
a universe
33
00:01:46,874 --> 00:01:49,975
as beautiful
as it is astonishing.
34
00:01:49,977 --> 00:01:55,614
"Invisible Universe Revealed"--
right now on NOVA.
35
00:02:11,532 --> 00:02:14,500
Major funding for NOVA is
provided by the following:
36
00:02:19,140 --> 00:02:22,508
At Cance NOVA and promoting
public understanding of science.
37
00:02:25,813 --> 00:02:27,846
And the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting.
38
00:02:27,848 --> 00:02:29,515
And by:
39
00:02:30,918 --> 00:02:33,352
And Millicent Bell through:
40
00:02:39,927 --> 00:02:44,196
NARRATOR:
Since the dawn of humanity,
we've looked to the heavens
41
00:02:44,198 --> 00:02:49,168
and wondered,
how old is the universe?
42
00:02:49,170 --> 00:02:53,005
How many stars are there
in the sky?
43
00:02:53,007 --> 00:02:56,275
Are there other planets
out there like our own?
44
00:02:56,277 --> 00:03:04,616
But in the last 25 years,
there's been a revolution...
45
00:03:04,618 --> 00:03:08,353
all because of a machine
called Hubble.
46
00:03:12,092 --> 00:03:13,892
Traveling in space,
47
00:03:13,894 --> 00:03:17,029
high above the distortions
of our atmosphere,
48
00:03:17,031 --> 00:03:19,865
gives this giant telescope
great power.
49
00:03:21,869 --> 00:03:24,336
MATT MOUNTAIN:
It's the size of a school bus.
50
00:03:24,338 --> 00:03:28,540
It's traveling
at 17,000 miles an hour.
51
00:03:28,542 --> 00:03:31,510
It's 300-and-something miles
above your head.
52
00:03:31,512 --> 00:03:33,712
But in there is one of the most
precise mirrors
53
00:03:33,714 --> 00:03:35,347
mankind has ever built.
54
00:03:35,349 --> 00:03:40,752
NARRATOR:
Billions of times more sensitive
than our own eyes,
55
00:03:40,754 --> 00:03:42,688
the space telescope
56
00:03:42,690 --> 00:03:46,792
has literally brought
the universe to us,
57
00:03:46,794 --> 00:03:51,430
making more than a million
observations.
58
00:03:59,039 --> 00:04:03,775
One legendary image is called
the "Pillars of Creation."
59
00:04:03,777 --> 00:04:08,113
It's a giant plume of gas
and dust where stars are born.
60
00:04:10,851 --> 00:04:15,053
Our own sun probably formed
in a place like this.
61
00:04:15,055 --> 00:04:19,825
AMBER STRAUGHN:
The whole region is something
like 400 trillion miles,
62
00:04:19,827 --> 00:04:23,095
so it's massive, it's huge.
63
00:04:23,097 --> 00:04:24,730
But still within the context
of our own Milky Way,
64
00:04:24,732 --> 00:04:25,864
it's just one little part.
65
00:04:28,202 --> 00:04:30,269
NARRATOR:
Hubble has also
captured pictures
66
00:04:30,271 --> 00:04:34,006
of places where stars die.
67
00:04:34,008 --> 00:04:40,012
These are planetary nebulae--
remnants of expiring stars.
68
00:04:40,014 --> 00:04:41,713
They look like artworks
in the heavens.
69
00:04:45,319 --> 00:04:49,521
Each one of them is different,
like snowflakes.
70
00:04:49,523 --> 00:04:52,324
And these are some
of the most spectacular images
71
00:04:52,326 --> 00:04:55,460
that Hubble has produced.
72
00:04:55,462 --> 00:04:59,865
NARRATOR:
Hubble has shown us that
black holes are real.
73
00:04:59,867 --> 00:05:02,634
A giant one sits
at the center of our galaxy
74
00:05:02,636 --> 00:05:05,604
and nearly every other we know.
75
00:05:07,574 --> 00:05:12,110
It's discovered
the age of the universe
76
00:05:12,112 --> 00:05:16,682
and that there are more stars
in the heavens
77
00:05:16,684 --> 00:05:21,119
than grains of sand
on all the beaches and deserts
78
00:05:21,121 --> 00:05:24,956
of the world combined.
79
00:05:27,361 --> 00:05:29,227
Over the past 25 years,
80
00:05:29,229 --> 00:05:33,965
Hubble has told us a story
of creation, destruction,
81
00:05:33,967 --> 00:05:40,038
and of vast, new mysteries
that beckon our curiosity.
82
00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:45,510
But putting it in space
long seemed an impossible dream,
83
00:05:45,512 --> 00:05:49,748
even to those
who took on the challenge.
84
00:05:53,587 --> 00:05:58,657
NANCY ROMAN:
I started out in optical
astronomy and spectroscopy.
85
00:05:58,659 --> 00:06:02,928
But as a woman in my generation,
86
00:06:02,930 --> 00:06:06,898
I could not get tenure
at a research institution.
87
00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:09,901
In 1959, when NASA was formed,
88
00:06:09,903 --> 00:06:12,804
one of the men there asked me
if I knew anyone
89
00:06:12,806 --> 00:06:16,341
who would like to set up
a program in space astronomy.
90
00:06:16,343 --> 00:06:19,578
And I decided that the idea
91
00:06:19,580 --> 00:06:22,347
of influencing astronomy
for 50 years
92
00:06:22,349 --> 00:06:25,717
was just more than I could
resist, so I took the job.
93
00:06:25,719 --> 00:06:31,823
NARRATOR:
Astronomer Nancy Roman is known
as the mother of the Hubble.
94
00:06:31,825 --> 00:06:35,627
She worked on its design and
development for nearly 25 years.
95
00:06:35,629 --> 00:06:38,497
ROMAN:
If I brought anything to it,
it was perseverance
96
00:06:38,499 --> 00:06:41,666
and belief that it was possible.
97
00:06:41,668 --> 00:06:44,836
NARRATOR:
The idea of a space telescope
98
00:06:44,838 --> 00:06:48,306
was first seriously proposed
in 1946
99
00:06:48,308 --> 00:06:52,043
by Princeton scientist
Lyman Spitzer.
100
00:06:52,045 --> 00:06:54,246
He was the scientific visionary,
101
00:06:54,248 --> 00:06:57,749
and Roman was the force
that pushed this vision forward,
102
00:06:57,751 --> 00:07:01,653
decades before the technology
was up to the task.
103
00:07:06,527 --> 00:07:08,627
Even into the mid-'60s,
104
00:07:08,629 --> 00:07:13,231
just getting a rocket safely
into space was a challenge.
105
00:07:16,470 --> 00:07:18,136
ROMAN:
There were a lot of failures.
106
00:07:22,176 --> 00:07:24,242
We were babies
learning how to walk.
107
00:07:27,948 --> 00:07:30,115
And we didn't always succeed.
108
00:07:30,117 --> 00:07:31,450
Babies fall down,
109
00:07:31,452 --> 00:07:32,584
and we did too.
110
00:07:35,155 --> 00:07:37,656
NARRATOR:
But however far-fetched
at the time,
111
00:07:37,658 --> 00:07:39,925
the lure of getting a telescope
112
00:07:39,927 --> 00:07:44,162
above the distortion of the
earth's atmosphere was strong.
113
00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,500
The major challenge
facing astronomers
114
00:07:48,502 --> 00:07:51,736
was the twinkle of the stars.
115
00:07:51,738 --> 00:07:56,675
LIVIO:
Twinkling stars are an inspiring
source of poetry,
116
00:07:56,677 --> 00:08:01,346
but in terms of observing stars,
it's not very good.
117
00:08:01,348 --> 00:08:03,515
JIM CROCKER:
If you can imagine
118
00:08:03,517 --> 00:08:06,084
you're swimming on the bottom
of the swimming pool
119
00:08:06,086 --> 00:08:08,854
and you look up
and you see the distortion.
120
00:08:08,856 --> 00:08:11,356
It's like a fun house mirror.
121
00:08:11,358 --> 00:08:14,025
That's what it's like
122
00:08:14,027 --> 00:08:17,462
to study stars
from the surface of the Earth.
123
00:08:17,464 --> 00:08:19,464
The atmosphere is just like
that water in that pool.
124
00:08:19,466 --> 00:08:23,201
It sloshes around and moves
and distorts the image.
125
00:08:23,203 --> 00:08:26,371
But when you come up out of
the water, everything's clear.
126
00:08:26,373 --> 00:08:28,373
That's exactly what happens
127
00:08:28,375 --> 00:08:30,809
when a telescope
gets above the atmosphere.
128
00:08:30,811 --> 00:08:36,081
In the pristine vacuum of space,
light can travel
129
00:08:36,083 --> 00:08:39,751
for billions of light years,
undisturbed.
130
00:08:41,154 --> 00:08:44,222
NARRATOR:
The atmosphere not only
distorts light,
131
00:08:44,224 --> 00:08:47,792
it prevents some from reaching
the ground at all.
132
00:08:50,864 --> 00:08:53,832
ROMAN:
So for those reasons,
astronomers for a long time
133
00:08:53,834 --> 00:08:57,435
were eager
to get something outside.
134
00:08:59,540 --> 00:09:01,540
And so I got a committee
together,
135
00:09:01,542 --> 00:09:03,875
and that was the beginning
of the Hubble.
136
00:09:03,877 --> 00:09:09,614
NARRATOR:
The space telescope
was named for Edwin Hubble,
137
00:09:09,616 --> 00:09:12,851
the great astronomer who did
much of his pioneering work
138
00:09:12,853 --> 00:09:19,157
in the 1920s at Mt. Wilson
Observatory in California.
139
00:09:19,159 --> 00:09:23,428
In those days,
our own galaxy, the Milky Way,
140
00:09:23,430 --> 00:09:27,332
was considered the entirety
of the universe.
141
00:09:27,334 --> 00:09:32,170
Nearly everyone, even Einstein,
believed the universe
142
00:09:32,172 --> 00:09:34,439
had existed forever
in its present state--
143
00:09:34,441 --> 00:09:38,243
that it was eternal
and unchanging.
144
00:09:38,245 --> 00:09:42,447
But Hubble
would prove them all wrong.
145
00:09:42,449 --> 00:09:44,549
He began by figuring out
146
00:09:44,551 --> 00:09:48,820
how far away the stars
he was seeing actually were.
147
00:09:48,822 --> 00:09:50,422
LIVIO:
At the time of Edwin Hubble,
148
00:09:50,424 --> 00:09:52,691
it was hard
to measure distances.
149
00:09:52,693 --> 00:09:54,693
It still is even today.
150
00:09:54,695 --> 00:09:59,564
NARRATOR:
It's difficult to know
if a star appears bright
151
00:09:59,566 --> 00:10:01,533
because it is actually bright
152
00:10:01,535 --> 00:10:04,002
or simply because
it is close to us.
153
00:10:04,004 --> 00:10:07,472
So Hubble searched
for a rare type of star
154
00:10:07,474 --> 00:10:10,875
called a Cepheid variable.
155
00:10:10,877 --> 00:10:13,912
Cepheids pulse
at a known brightness,
156
00:10:13,914 --> 00:10:17,115
so by measuring the amount
of light he could see,
157
00:10:17,117 --> 00:10:22,220
he could calculate how far away
the star actually was.
158
00:10:22,222 --> 00:10:24,456
In October 1923,
159
00:10:24,458 --> 00:10:28,493
Hubble found a Cepheid
in a gaseous cluster of stars
160
00:10:28,495 --> 00:10:31,896
then called
the Andromeda nebula.
161
00:10:31,898 --> 00:10:34,666
It yielded a shocking discovery.
162
00:10:34,668 --> 00:10:36,434
MOUNTAIN:
When he actually did
the calculations,
163
00:10:36,436 --> 00:10:37,769
he discovered Andromeda
164
00:10:37,771 --> 00:10:40,271
was roughly a million
light years away from us,
165
00:10:40,273 --> 00:10:41,606
which is outside our galaxy.
166
00:10:41,608 --> 00:10:45,644
NARRATOR:
Andromeda was its own galaxy.
167
00:10:45,646 --> 00:10:47,078
MOUNTAIN:
Oh, there are other galaxies
out there,
168
00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:48,647
and we're just one of them.
169
00:10:48,649 --> 00:10:50,982
NARRATOR:
For the first time in history,
there was evidence
170
00:10:50,984 --> 00:10:55,487
that our universe stretched
far beyond the Milky Way.
171
00:10:55,489 --> 00:10:57,789
MOUNTAIN:
But then what he did was
he measured the speed
172
00:10:57,791 --> 00:11:00,392
of a whole bunch
of these galaxies.
173
00:11:00,394 --> 00:11:02,694
NARRATOR:
Edwin Hubble measured speed
174
00:11:02,696 --> 00:11:05,497
by looking at the light
the galaxies emitted.
175
00:11:05,499 --> 00:11:08,033
He knew if the galaxy
was moving toward him,
176
00:11:08,035 --> 00:11:09,801
the waves would shorten
177
00:11:09,803 --> 00:11:12,537
and shift to the blue part
of the spectrum.
178
00:11:12,539 --> 00:11:14,506
If it was moving away,
179
00:11:14,508 --> 00:11:18,109
the waves would lengthen
and shift to the red.
180
00:11:20,447 --> 00:11:22,814
LIVIO:
Every distant galaxy
Hubble looked at,
181
00:11:22,816 --> 00:11:25,717
he saw the light
from it being red-shifted,
182
00:11:25,719 --> 00:11:28,953
which meant everything is moving
away from everything else.
183
00:11:28,955 --> 00:11:31,289
MOUNTAIN:
And he found
the further away they were,
184
00:11:31,291 --> 00:11:33,258
the faster they were going.
185
00:11:33,260 --> 00:11:37,128
NARRATOR:
In fact, the universe itself
was expanding,
186
00:11:37,130 --> 00:11:39,397
stretching the light
from the galaxies.
187
00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:42,167
Edwin Hubble had changed
188
00:11:42,169 --> 00:11:45,603
our understanding
of the cosmos forever.
189
00:11:45,605 --> 00:11:47,172
MOUNTAIN:
The whole universe
was clearly expanding.
190
00:11:47,174 --> 00:11:49,441
And so this was the discovery
191
00:11:49,443 --> 00:11:51,109
of the expansion
of the universe.
192
00:11:51,111 --> 00:11:54,012
You know, which Einstein said,
"Well, that's crazy, right?"
193
00:11:54,014 --> 00:11:57,082
The discovery of the expansion
of the universe of course
194
00:11:57,084 --> 00:12:01,586
was a very strong piece
of evidence for a beginning.
195
00:12:01,588 --> 00:12:05,056
If everything is now expanding,
you can run this backwards
196
00:12:05,058 --> 00:12:07,492
and see that everything
should have started
197
00:12:07,494 --> 00:12:11,763
from a certain point
or singularity,
198
00:12:11,765 --> 00:12:15,266
what we today call
a Big Bang.
199
00:12:19,706 --> 00:12:21,506
MOUNTAIN:
That was pretty radical
200
00:12:21,508 --> 00:12:23,975
and mind-blowing stuff
back in the '20s and '30s,
201
00:12:23,977 --> 00:12:25,977
and some people today
even find it mind-blowing.
202
00:12:25,979 --> 00:12:30,148
NARRATOR:
Hubble's discovery opened up
the modern era of astronomy
203
00:12:30,150 --> 00:12:35,286
and raised huge questions,
like "How old is the universe?"
204
00:12:35,288 --> 00:12:39,390
But astronomers couldn't see
clearly and deeply enough
205
00:12:39,392 --> 00:12:44,729
into the cosmos, so the mystery
would endure for decades.
206
00:12:44,731 --> 00:12:46,865
LIVIO:
Determining the age
of the universe
207
00:12:46,867 --> 00:12:49,701
was definitely
one of the key goals
208
00:12:49,703 --> 00:12:51,970
of the launch
of the Hubble Space Telescope.
209
00:12:51,972 --> 00:12:53,571
Astronomers used to have
fistfights
210
00:12:53,573 --> 00:12:55,540
whether the universe
was ten billion years
211
00:12:55,542 --> 00:12:56,941
or 20 billion years old
212
00:12:56,943 --> 00:12:59,511
until we launched
the Hubble Telescope.
213
00:12:59,513 --> 00:13:03,448
NARRATOR:
But first,
they would have to build it.
214
00:13:03,450 --> 00:13:05,150
ROMAN:
I realized that
215
00:13:05,152 --> 00:13:09,053
my job at NASA to a large extent
was salesmanship.
216
00:13:09,055 --> 00:13:12,624
And it was a particular problem
with Congress.
217
00:13:12,626 --> 00:13:14,826
We can cut the space program
sharply.
218
00:13:14,828 --> 00:13:16,661
Congress has already cut that
$400 million
219
00:13:16,663 --> 00:13:18,229
and I think we can cut it
a billion dollars,
220
00:13:18,231 --> 00:13:20,198
and we should cut it
a billion dollars.
221
00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,400
ROMAN:
Proxmire was quite famous
as a senator
222
00:13:22,402 --> 00:13:25,537
of picking out projects
that he thought were stupid.
223
00:13:25,539 --> 00:13:27,505
We have a war going on
in Vietnam.
224
00:13:27,507 --> 00:13:31,176
ROMAN:
And he asked NASA
why the American taxpayer
225
00:13:31,178 --> 00:13:32,911
should pay for something
like the Hubble.
226
00:13:32,913 --> 00:13:35,747
And I came up
with the answer that
227
00:13:35,749 --> 00:13:40,218
for the cost
of a night at the movies,
228
00:13:40,220 --> 00:13:43,588
every American would have
15 years of exciting discovery.
229
00:13:47,427 --> 00:13:51,129
NARRATOR:
Finally, after more
than a decade,
230
00:13:51,131 --> 00:13:53,464
the plans were approved in 1977.
231
00:13:55,802 --> 00:13:58,269
Hubble's power would come
from an eight-foot wide mirror.
232
00:13:58,271 --> 00:14:02,841
It would gather light
from across the universe.
233
00:14:02,843 --> 00:14:07,378
To magnify the sky
and see tiny details,
234
00:14:07,380 --> 00:14:10,348
it would need a long distance
to focus the light
235
00:14:10,350 --> 00:14:13,017
and give a clear image.
236
00:14:13,019 --> 00:14:17,088
But a space telescope
needs to be compact,
237
00:14:17,090 --> 00:14:19,490
so Hubble would use
a second mirror
238
00:14:19,492 --> 00:14:24,062
to further magnify the light
and focus it onto the cameras.
239
00:14:24,064 --> 00:14:29,601
For it to work, the mirrors
would have to be perfect.
240
00:14:29,603 --> 00:14:32,570
Hubble was the most precise
optical mirror ever made.
241
00:14:32,572 --> 00:14:34,105
No place along its surface
242
00:14:34,107 --> 00:14:35,840
could have deviated
from a perfect curve
243
00:14:35,842 --> 00:14:37,508
by more than a millionth
of an inch.
244
00:14:37,510 --> 00:14:42,747
NARRATOR:
An optics company, Perkin-Elmer,
was chosen to do the work,
245
00:14:42,749 --> 00:14:46,918
in part because it had already
made mirrors for spy satellites.
246
00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,220
FABER:
They told NASA,
247
00:14:49,222 --> 00:14:53,925
"We know how to do this, and
this technology is proprietary.
248
00:14:53,927 --> 00:14:55,593
"We are not going to let you
come in
249
00:14:55,595 --> 00:14:58,897
and watch what we are doing."
250
00:14:58,899 --> 00:15:01,833
So NASA got
a rather limited view
251
00:15:01,835 --> 00:15:04,669
of what was going on
in that little group.
252
00:15:04,671 --> 00:15:08,539
CROCKER:
They had very,
very precise instruments
253
00:15:08,541 --> 00:15:11,509
that they designed
just for polishing this mirror.
254
00:15:11,511 --> 00:15:13,011
They had to work at night
255
00:15:13,013 --> 00:15:16,114
so that the vibration of cars
in the parking lot
256
00:15:16,116 --> 00:15:18,049
wouldn't cause problems
with the polishing equipment.
257
00:15:18,051 --> 00:15:21,152
They had to isolate it
and float it on a table
258
00:15:21,154 --> 00:15:24,355
so any vibrations from the
building wouldn't come in.
259
00:15:24,357 --> 00:15:28,726
And this program was
over budget, behind schedule.
260
00:15:28,728 --> 00:15:32,830
They were desperate to get
the telescope built and flown.
261
00:15:32,832 --> 00:15:36,067
NARRATOR:
Perkin-Elmer's own measurements
262
00:15:36,069 --> 00:15:39,003
showed discrepancies
in the surface of the mirror,
263
00:15:39,005 --> 00:15:42,573
but this was never passed on
to NASA.
264
00:15:42,575 --> 00:15:45,910
The telescope was declared
ready for launch,
265
00:15:45,912 --> 00:15:49,514
a disaster waiting to happen.
266
00:15:49,516 --> 00:15:53,284
(applause)
267
00:15:53,286 --> 00:15:55,820
ED WEILER:
The hopes and dreams
of the world's astronomers
268
00:15:55,822 --> 00:16:00,525
were with us that day
at Cape Canaveral.
269
00:16:00,527 --> 00:16:01,960
The last time astronomers
270
00:16:01,962 --> 00:16:04,395
leapt a factor of ten
in observing capability
271
00:16:04,397 --> 00:16:08,366
was when Galileo, in 1610,
instead of using his eye,
272
00:16:08,368 --> 00:16:10,268
put the telescope
in front of his eye.
273
00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:13,538
ANNOUNCER:
And liftoff
of the Space Shuttle Discovery
274
00:16:13,540 --> 00:16:18,543
with the Hubble Space Telescope,
our window on the universe!
275
00:16:18,545 --> 00:16:21,713
WEILER:
All increases in capability
after Galileo were incremental.
276
00:16:21,715 --> 00:16:24,882
They weren't leaps of a factor
of ten, until Hubble.
277
00:16:24,884 --> 00:16:26,985
ASTRONAUT:
Mission Control, Houston.
278
00:16:26,987 --> 00:16:29,387
MISSION CONTROL:
Roger all, Discovery.
279
00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,961
WEILER:
We thought, "Let's go,
we're off to the races!"
280
00:16:36,963 --> 00:16:38,463
Little did we know
the time bomb that was ticking.
281
00:16:38,465 --> 00:16:41,065
Little did we know.
282
00:16:41,067 --> 00:16:42,767
MISSION CONTROL:
Discover Houston.
283
00:16:42,769 --> 00:16:44,102
You have a go to open the doors.
284
00:16:47,674 --> 00:16:52,677
NARRATOR:
After nearly 30 years
of planning, on April 25, 1990,
285
00:16:52,679 --> 00:16:54,879
astronauts used a robotic arm
286
00:16:54,881 --> 00:16:58,383
to deploy the Hubble
space telescope in orbit
287
00:16:58,385 --> 00:17:01,419
380 miles above the earth.
288
00:17:01,421 --> 00:17:03,254
ASTRONAUT:
CAPCOM, we have a go
for release.
289
00:17:03,256 --> 00:17:06,190
MISSION CONTROL:
We concur, Charlie.
290
00:17:06,192 --> 00:17:08,960
ANNOUNCER:
Mission control,
Houston confirms,
291
00:17:08,962 --> 00:17:10,428
the Hubble Space Telescope
is released.
292
00:17:10,430 --> 00:17:13,064
(cheering)
293
00:17:13,066 --> 00:17:14,999
NARRATOR:
With the telescope
finally in place,
294
00:17:15,001 --> 00:17:17,468
everyone was excited
to see what it could do.
295
00:17:17,470 --> 00:17:20,872
REPORTER:
...make final adjustments
before we get to see
296
00:17:20,874 --> 00:17:23,574
the clearest pictures ever seen
in the history of astronomy.
297
00:17:23,576 --> 00:17:25,510
MISSION CONTROL:
Nose gear touch down.
298
00:17:25,512 --> 00:17:27,278
NARRATOR:
But when the first images
arrived,
299
00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,149
they weren't quite what
the scientists had expected.
300
00:17:40,546 --> 00:17:42,546
When they first saw these images
301
00:17:42,572 --> 00:17:44,338
they just assumed the telescope
wasn't in focus.
302
00:17:44,340 --> 00:17:48,709
They tried to move the focus
backwards and forwards,
303
00:17:48,711 --> 00:17:52,179
but the light kept being blurred
like it was always out of focus.
304
00:17:52,181 --> 00:17:55,616
It was really quite a shock.
305
00:17:55,618 --> 00:17:57,318
FABER:
We were very worried.
306
00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:58,719
LIVIO:
I just couldn't believe it.
307
00:17:58,721 --> 00:18:00,521
It definitely was a huge shock.
308
00:18:00,523 --> 00:18:02,556
We were supposed
to revolutionize astronomy.
309
00:18:02,558 --> 00:18:04,959
How is it that we can't focus
this telescope?
310
00:18:04,961 --> 00:18:08,262
How is this even possible?
311
00:18:08,264 --> 00:18:12,266
NARRATOR:
After weeks of investigation,
horrified astronomers suspected
312
00:18:12,268 --> 00:18:15,302
something was wrong
with the mirror.
313
00:18:15,304 --> 00:18:20,474
This is my logbook that I kept
during the early days of Hubble.
314
00:18:20,476 --> 00:18:23,043
Daily, we went to meetings,
and we kept a record
315
00:18:23,045 --> 00:18:25,245
of everything that
was happening.
316
00:18:25,247 --> 00:18:28,716
Here is a particularly
interesting day.
317
00:18:28,718 --> 00:18:32,519
We were told about the actuators
on the back of the mirror.
318
00:18:32,521 --> 00:18:35,322
The actuators might be able
to fix small errors
319
00:18:35,324 --> 00:18:37,558
in the surface of the mirror
by pushing and pulling on it,
320
00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:43,063
So this says, "One half wave
is 7 times the dynamic range,"
321
00:18:43,065 --> 00:18:45,766
meaning the problem is seven
times worse than they could fix.
322
00:18:45,768 --> 00:18:47,401
And here's a little note
I wrote:
323
00:18:47,403 --> 00:18:53,073
"This is the moment we find out
that we are doomed to failure!"
324
00:18:53,075 --> 00:18:55,676
NARRATOR:
Sandra Faber and her colleagues
325
00:18:55,678 --> 00:18:58,212
realized that the problem
was massive
326
00:18:58,214 --> 00:19:01,215
and lay at the very heart
of the telescope.
327
00:19:01,217 --> 00:19:02,883
FABER:
The Hubble telescope
328
00:19:02,885 --> 00:19:05,252
has a big primary mirror
that collects the light,
329
00:19:05,254 --> 00:19:07,388
and then there's
a secondary mirror
330
00:19:07,390 --> 00:19:11,392
which reflects the light
back down to the detector.
331
00:19:11,394 --> 00:19:16,263
So if everything is working,
every zone of the primary mirror
332
00:19:16,265 --> 00:19:20,534
should come to a focus
at exactly the same location.
333
00:19:20,536 --> 00:19:22,670
NARRATOR:
With a single focal point,
334
00:19:22,672 --> 00:19:25,439
a star would appear crisp
and bright.
335
00:19:25,441 --> 00:19:28,942
But this wasn't
what was happening.
336
00:19:28,944 --> 00:19:30,944
FABER:
As I looked
at those star images,
337
00:19:30,946 --> 00:19:34,048
I could see that
the problem with Hubble
338
00:19:34,050 --> 00:19:37,885
was the rays are coming
to a focus at different points.
339
00:19:37,887 --> 00:19:43,757
And that is the classic problem
called spherical aberration.
340
00:19:43,759 --> 00:19:48,128
This is the actual set of images
that my team presented
341
00:19:48,130 --> 00:19:52,166
that convinced people
of the spherical aberration.
342
00:19:52,168 --> 00:19:56,136
The top set of images
is simulated with software,
343
00:19:56,138 --> 00:20:01,308
the bottom is the actual images,
and the fact that they match
344
00:20:01,310 --> 00:20:03,977
is what shows that we really
understood what was going on.
345
00:20:05,781 --> 00:20:07,081
WEILER:
That was the kiss of death.
346
00:20:07,083 --> 00:20:08,716
It was like
a bullet to the head.
347
00:20:08,718 --> 00:20:10,484
So I said, "Well,
what are we going to do?"
348
00:20:10,486 --> 00:20:15,489
FABER:
Should we declare this telescope
to be junk and just end it?
349
00:20:15,491 --> 00:20:18,125
Can we use it
in its present form
350
00:20:18,127 --> 00:20:19,727
and get something out of it?
351
00:20:19,729 --> 00:20:21,295
Can we fix it?
352
00:20:21,297 --> 00:20:23,497
And all of those thoughts were
running through people's minds
353
00:20:23,499 --> 00:20:26,433
in those fateful days
after this discovery.
354
00:20:26,435 --> 00:20:31,004
NARRATOR:
Somehow, the mirror
had been polished too flat,
355
00:20:31,006 --> 00:20:35,876
and there might not be anything
anyone could do to fix it.
356
00:20:35,878 --> 00:20:37,311
WEILER:
It was probably early June
357
00:20:37,313 --> 00:20:38,846
when people starting saying
the "S" word--
358
00:20:38,848 --> 00:20:40,180
spherical aberration.
359
00:20:40,182 --> 00:20:42,516
That lead up
to the infamous press conference
360
00:20:42,518 --> 00:20:45,219
that I'll never forget
as long as I live.
361
00:20:45,221 --> 00:20:47,187
What might have made
this happen?
362
00:20:47,189 --> 00:20:49,656
Do you know for sure that
that the aberration
363
00:20:49,658 --> 00:20:51,325
is in the primary mirror,
the secondary mirror, both?
364
00:20:51,327 --> 00:20:52,960
Why wasn't it caught
on the ground?
365
00:20:52,962 --> 00:20:56,663
MOUNTAIN:
This was one of the most
expensive science projects
366
00:20:56,665 --> 00:21:00,501
that NASA had ever undertaken,
and it was a techno-turkey.
367
00:21:00,503 --> 00:21:03,737
Is it possible that you could
bring the telescope back?
368
00:21:03,739 --> 00:21:05,339
It was an absolute disaster.
369
00:21:05,341 --> 00:21:09,910
And so it became life and death
for NASA itself.
370
00:21:11,781 --> 00:21:13,747
It was the national joke.
371
00:21:17,219 --> 00:21:21,155
CROCKER:
We went from being the heroes
of the universe
372
00:21:21,157 --> 00:21:24,525
to the Mr. Magoos,
373
00:21:24,527 --> 00:21:28,362
and being associated with the
telescope was difficult.
374
00:21:30,566 --> 00:21:35,669
NARRATOR:
A NASA board of inquiry searched
for clues to what went wrong.
375
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:43,410
Inspecting every piece of every
tool used to polish the mirror,
376
00:21:43,412 --> 00:21:49,683
they found the smoking gun:
a few missing chips of paint.
377
00:21:49,685 --> 00:21:53,120
They had thrown off
the laser-guided measuring tool
378
00:21:53,122 --> 00:21:55,889
used to shape the mirror.
379
00:21:55,891 --> 00:21:59,760
CROCKER:
Everything was off
about a millimeter.
380
00:21:59,762 --> 00:22:02,729
And so they polished the edges
of the mirror a little too flat,
381
00:22:02,731 --> 00:22:08,802
about 1/50th of the thickness
of a human hair.
382
00:22:08,804 --> 00:22:13,140
NARRATOR:
Many feared this meant
Hubble was dead,
383
00:22:13,142 --> 00:22:15,776
since the mirror
was hard to access
384
00:22:15,778 --> 00:22:18,045
and impossible to remove
in space.
385
00:22:18,047 --> 00:22:23,350
Sandra Faber was on the panel
tasked with finding a solution.
386
00:22:23,352 --> 00:22:26,386
FABER:
A blue ribbon committee
convened.
387
00:22:26,388 --> 00:22:27,955
People were thinking
about everything
388
00:22:27,957 --> 00:22:30,691
from bringing the telescope down
389
00:22:30,693 --> 00:22:33,727
to having astronauts
go up in orbit
390
00:22:33,729 --> 00:22:35,629
and swim down into the tube
391
00:22:35,631 --> 00:22:38,899
and install correcting optics
in front of the primary mirror.
392
00:22:38,901 --> 00:22:43,103
I called the report, jokingly,
393
00:22:43,105 --> 00:22:45,239
"50 bad ways
to fix a space telescope."
394
00:22:45,241 --> 00:22:49,176
NARRATOR:
The best idea was to put
small corrective mirrors
395
00:22:49,178 --> 00:22:50,744
in front of the cameras
and other instruments.
396
00:22:50,746 --> 00:22:55,616
But the problem was getting the
mirrors inside the telescope.
397
00:22:55,618 --> 00:23:00,954
Jim Crocker was an engineer
in charge of Hubble operations.
398
00:23:00,956 --> 00:23:02,923
CROCKER:
We got to the point
where it's like,
399
00:23:02,925 --> 00:23:04,758
"We're kind of running
out of ideas here
400
00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:06,827
"and not sure what to do.
401
00:23:06,829 --> 00:23:09,229
"There's a lot of ways
to fix this,
402
00:23:09,231 --> 00:23:14,001
there's just no way
to perform them in space."
403
00:23:14,003 --> 00:23:15,769
(shower running)
404
00:23:15,771 --> 00:23:17,871
I actually came back
from the meeting
405
00:23:17,873 --> 00:23:19,873
and went back to the hotel
that we were staying at
406
00:23:19,875 --> 00:23:21,308
and I thought,
407
00:23:21,310 --> 00:23:23,143
"Well, I'll take a shower
before we go out to dinner."
408
00:23:23,145 --> 00:23:26,246
The showerhead
is on a sliding rod,
409
00:23:26,248 --> 00:23:28,782
and the head goes up and down.
410
00:23:28,784 --> 00:23:32,286
And so I turned the water on
and I slid it up,
411
00:23:32,288 --> 00:23:34,121
and then it was like
it clicked.
412
00:23:36,392 --> 00:23:42,529
If we packaged the mirrors
into a little robotic arm
413
00:23:42,531 --> 00:23:44,698
and we put that arm
into a new instrument,
414
00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:50,938
you could raise this mirror up
and flip the little mirrors out
415
00:23:50,940 --> 00:23:52,539
in front of each
of the other instruments
416
00:23:52,541 --> 00:23:54,408
and correct them all.
417
00:23:54,410 --> 00:23:58,111
And I thought,
"Huh, that'll work."
418
00:24:03,819 --> 00:24:07,888
NARRATOR:
NASA agreed
and immediately started work.
419
00:24:07,890 --> 00:24:12,993
Astronauts would install
an instrument called Costar.
420
00:24:12,995 --> 00:24:18,098
Once in place,
its four arms would flip out,
421
00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:20,133
like the showerhead,
422
00:24:20,135 --> 00:24:25,339
and essentially give Hubble
glasses.
423
00:24:25,341 --> 00:24:28,375
But no one
had ever done anything
424
00:24:28,377 --> 00:24:31,511
remotely this intricate
in space.
425
00:24:31,513 --> 00:24:33,180
STORY MUSGRAVE:
When I got the job,
426
00:24:33,182 --> 00:24:36,116
I didn't smile
and I didn't celebrate anything.
427
00:24:36,118 --> 00:24:37,584
I says, "Here we go.
428
00:24:37,586 --> 00:24:39,920
I'll do the best I can
with this."
429
00:24:39,922 --> 00:24:44,157
I told NASA
and I told the media,
430
00:24:44,159 --> 00:24:45,759
they're all saying
we're going to fix it,
431
00:24:45,761 --> 00:24:47,260
and I told them, "I don't know
if we're going to fix it."
432
00:24:50,299 --> 00:24:52,599
NARRATOR:
Musgrave and a team
of astronauts
433
00:24:52,601 --> 00:24:55,369
trained for 20 months
preparing to fix Hubble.
434
00:24:55,371 --> 00:25:01,441
MUSGRAVE:
We choreograph this dance down
to every finger and every toe.
435
00:25:01,443 --> 00:25:08,382
You know, a great ballerina,
it's every finger and every toe.
436
00:25:08,384 --> 00:25:10,784
You can't have something
messed up.
437
00:25:10,786 --> 00:25:15,222
You can't exactly mimic
what you're going to do there.
438
00:25:15,224 --> 00:25:19,426
So in your imagination,
you watch yourself work.
439
00:25:19,428 --> 00:25:21,762
Then it is practice,
440
00:25:21,764 --> 00:25:24,798
so that you can pull it off
when you have to.
441
00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,801
NARRATOR:
To simulate working in space,
442
00:25:27,803 --> 00:25:30,437
the astronauts spent
400 hours underwater
443
00:25:30,439 --> 00:25:33,407
rehearsing on a mock-up
of Hubble.
444
00:25:35,944 --> 00:25:37,811
MOUNTAIN:
I think the most incredible
thing about this
445
00:25:37,813 --> 00:25:41,114
is that the astronauts were
prepared to risk their lives
446
00:25:41,116 --> 00:25:43,483
to go and fix
a scientific instrument.
447
00:25:43,485 --> 00:25:46,953
(radio chatter)
448
00:25:46,955 --> 00:25:49,056
MOUNTAIN:
We know the shuttle
was not a perfect machine.
449
00:25:49,058 --> 00:25:50,891
After all,
there's been two disasters.
450
00:25:50,893 --> 00:25:54,995
MUSGRAVE:
I had a one-in-ten chance
of dying.
451
00:25:54,997 --> 00:25:57,998
I don't like those odds.
452
00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,800
But it's not a matter of fear.
453
00:25:59,802 --> 00:26:02,335
You've decided ahead of time
it's what you do in life.
454
00:26:02,337 --> 00:26:03,603
MISSION CONTROL:
And we have lift-off.
455
00:26:03,605 --> 00:26:05,772
Lift-off of the Space Shuttle
Endeavour
456
00:26:05,774 --> 00:26:07,307
on an ambitious mission
457
00:26:07,309 --> 00:26:09,643
to service the Hubble Space
Telescope.
458
00:26:09,645 --> 00:26:11,445
MOUNTAIN:
In eight minutes,
459
00:26:11,447 --> 00:26:16,516
they went from zero
to 17,500 miles an hour.
460
00:26:16,518 --> 00:26:19,152
MUSGRAVE:
It's rough, and the vibrations
are very rough.
461
00:26:19,154 --> 00:26:21,755
It's a butterfly
bolted onto a bullet,
462
00:26:21,757 --> 00:26:24,958
you know,
that's what's going on.
463
00:26:29,998 --> 00:26:33,800
NARRATOR:
It takes the crew two days
to catch up to the telescope.
464
00:26:33,802 --> 00:26:37,437
MUSGRAVE:
As soon as I caught
that bright star out there,
465
00:26:37,439 --> 00:26:40,941
it had to be Hubble,
nothing else.
466
00:26:40,943 --> 00:26:42,509
The moment of truth is coming.
467
00:26:42,511 --> 00:26:44,177
You can't run from it anymore,
it's coming.
468
00:26:44,179 --> 00:26:45,779
There it is.
469
00:26:45,781 --> 00:26:47,614
MISSION CONTROL:
Endeavor, keep monitors
disabled,
470
00:26:47,616 --> 00:26:50,717
and you've got a go for capture.
471
00:26:50,719 --> 00:26:54,988
NARRATOR:
The crew will do
five spacewalks--
472
00:26:54,990 --> 00:26:58,291
at the time, the most ever
attempted on a single mission.
473
00:26:58,293 --> 00:27:00,093
ASTRONAUT:
Okay, visors as required.
474
00:27:00,095 --> 00:27:04,965
NARRATOR:
On the third walk, Musgrave
and astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman
475
00:27:04,967 --> 00:27:07,167
need to replace Hubble's
wide field camera.
476
00:27:07,169 --> 00:27:11,338
It was designed to capture a
broad range of light frequencies
477
00:27:11,340 --> 00:27:14,541
across a large area of the sky.
478
00:27:14,543 --> 00:27:19,846
ASTRONAUT:
Oh, look at that baby,
beautiful spanking new!
479
00:27:19,848 --> 00:27:21,381
NARRATOR:
The most critical moment
480
00:27:21,383 --> 00:27:24,317
comes when Musgrave
takes off the camera cover.
481
00:27:24,319 --> 00:27:30,490
NARRATOR:
As he removes it, he exposes
the camera's delicate mirror.
482
00:27:30,492 --> 00:27:33,326
ASTRONAUT:
Gonna touch the release.
483
00:27:33,328 --> 00:27:35,996
I want it down lower.
484
00:27:35,998 --> 00:27:37,364
MUSGRAVE:
Coming off,
485
00:27:37,366 --> 00:27:40,066
if you touch that mirror,
it's over.
486
00:27:40,068 --> 00:27:42,569
If you touch that thing,
487
00:27:42,571 --> 00:27:44,671
every image that comes down
from Hubble
488
00:27:44,673 --> 00:27:46,406
has got your little
fingerprint on it.
489
00:27:46,408 --> 00:27:48,375
And that's very bad form.
490
00:27:48,377 --> 00:27:50,243
ASTRONAUT:
I want it down lower.
491
00:27:52,314 --> 00:27:54,881
NARRATOR:
Scheduled to take
more than four hours,
492
00:27:54,883 --> 00:27:57,017
the crew pulls off
the meticulous repair
493
00:27:57,019 --> 00:27:59,052
in half the time.
494
00:27:59,054 --> 00:28:00,487
MISSION CONTROL:
You got about two feet to go.
495
00:28:00,489 --> 00:28:02,088
You're looking real good.
496
00:28:02,090 --> 00:28:05,559
NARRATOR:
Finally, the team
turns its attention to Costar.
497
00:28:08,163 --> 00:28:11,631
Astronaut Kathryn Thornton
pulls out an old instrument
498
00:28:11,633 --> 00:28:14,434
to make room
for the new corrective mirrors,
499
00:28:14,436 --> 00:28:17,804
packed inside a huge case.
500
00:28:19,675 --> 00:28:21,741
MOUNTAIN:
You saw these massive, great,
refrigerator-size instruments
501
00:28:21,743 --> 00:28:26,980
that had to be maneuvered
precisely into place.
502
00:28:26,982 --> 00:28:30,050
It became a real drama.
503
00:28:30,052 --> 00:28:31,585
Would they do it?
Would they get it in?
504
00:28:34,590 --> 00:28:40,493
NARRATOR:
After two hours, the instrument
fits exactly as planned.
505
00:28:40,495 --> 00:28:43,263
MUSGRAVE:
We did our job.
506
00:28:43,265 --> 00:28:46,733
We were pretty happy
with the job that we did.
507
00:28:46,735 --> 00:28:49,603
But even if, yes,
we did the job perfect,
508
00:28:49,605 --> 00:28:51,972
I didn't know
what the result would be.
509
00:28:53,575 --> 00:28:54,774
Sit down, Chris!
510
00:28:54,776 --> 00:28:56,476
(laughter)
511
00:28:56,478 --> 00:28:58,712
NARRATOR:
Back on the ground,
the room is packed
512
00:28:58,714 --> 00:29:00,380
as they prepare to receive
the first images.
513
00:29:06,655 --> 00:29:12,158
LIVIO:
I told somebody at the time
that it was almost like
514
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,261
when your child is born,
you know,
515
00:29:14,263 --> 00:29:17,364
you sort of think that
everything is going to go right,
516
00:29:17,366 --> 00:29:18,999
but you really don't know.
517
00:29:19,001 --> 00:29:21,835
WEILER:
I'll never forget it.
518
00:29:21,837 --> 00:29:24,571
I mean, I'll remember the birth
of my two kids
519
00:29:24,573 --> 00:29:26,473
and the night we saw
the first image from Hubble.
520
00:29:29,244 --> 00:29:32,045
We were all huddled
around the screen,
521
00:29:32,047 --> 00:29:35,682
and I will never forget
when that screen lit up
522
00:29:35,684 --> 00:29:40,353
and first appeared a little dot
right in the center.
523
00:29:42,591 --> 00:29:46,159
(cheering)
524
00:29:46,161 --> 00:29:47,661
We did it!
525
00:29:47,663 --> 00:29:49,362
WEILER:
And that by itself was good news
526
00:29:49,364 --> 00:29:52,599
because there was no fuzz
around it.
527
00:29:52,601 --> 00:29:55,635
But then more and more little
dots, stars, start showing up,
528
00:29:55,637 --> 00:29:57,103
until the whole screen
was filled
529
00:29:57,105 --> 00:30:00,573
with crystal clear
points of light.
530
00:30:00,575 --> 00:30:05,111
And all the faint stuff we were
never seeing suddenly showed up.
531
00:30:09,384 --> 00:30:14,187
WEILER:
And we knew we had fixed Hubble.
532
00:30:14,189 --> 00:30:18,291
(cheering)
533
00:30:30,105 --> 00:30:31,938
LIVIO:
Once we saw the new images,
534
00:30:31,940 --> 00:30:34,441
we knew that that's it,
they nailed it.
535
00:30:34,443 --> 00:30:36,810
FABER:
Astronomers leaped to their feet
and applauded and cheered
536
00:30:36,812 --> 00:30:41,414
and whistled and hooted--
it was unforgettable.
537
00:30:41,416 --> 00:30:43,083
It was a stunning success
in the end.
538
00:30:43,085 --> 00:30:44,584
You know, the trouble
with Hubble was over.
539
00:30:52,327 --> 00:30:56,162
NARRATOR:
With the space telescope now
fully living up to its design,
540
00:30:56,164 --> 00:30:57,997
scientists could finally
begin to solve
541
00:30:57,999 --> 00:31:01,267
some of the timeless mysteries
of the universe.
542
00:31:06,775 --> 00:31:08,675
The solutions
to many of these mysteries
543
00:31:08,677 --> 00:31:12,912
lie in the countless beautiful
images Hubble has sent back,
544
00:31:12,914 --> 00:31:17,617
the most detailed ever taken
of the heavens.
545
00:31:17,619 --> 00:31:20,887
LIVIO:
You cannot help but be in awe
546
00:31:20,889 --> 00:31:21,988
when you look at Hubble images.
547
00:31:24,526 --> 00:31:26,559
STRAUGHN:
In addition to these images
being beautiful,
548
00:31:26,561 --> 00:31:28,728
they help us to answer
the questions
549
00:31:28,730 --> 00:31:32,132
that humans have been asking
forever.
550
00:31:32,134 --> 00:31:37,937
NARRATOR:
Questions like where do stars
and planets come from?
551
00:31:37,939 --> 00:31:41,107
And this Hubble picture
of the Orion nebula
552
00:31:41,109 --> 00:31:44,644
gave us unprecedented insights.
553
00:31:44,646 --> 00:31:48,381
STRAUGHN:
This particular image
is so incredibly detailed,
554
00:31:48,383 --> 00:31:50,483
we can see stars forming.
555
00:31:50,485 --> 00:31:55,789
All of this background colorful
structure is hydrogen gas.
556
00:31:55,791 --> 00:31:58,224
When gravity
starts to take hold,
557
00:31:58,226 --> 00:32:01,995
the hydrogen atoms come together
and undergo a nuclear reaction,
558
00:32:01,997 --> 00:32:07,600
so they start to form a star.
559
00:32:07,602 --> 00:32:11,004
And so a lot of what
you actually see in this image,
560
00:32:11,006 --> 00:32:13,072
all of these bright dots
are these things.
561
00:32:13,074 --> 00:32:15,375
They're newborn stars.
562
00:32:15,377 --> 00:32:21,181
NARRATOR:
This single image
reveals 3,000 newborn stars.
563
00:32:24,019 --> 00:32:26,319
And it also showed astronomers
564
00:32:26,321 --> 00:32:28,922
something else
they'd never seen before.
565
00:32:28,924 --> 00:32:32,058
STRAUGHN:
If you zoom in
and look really close,
566
00:32:32,060 --> 00:32:34,027
what you can see
are these very cool,
567
00:32:34,029 --> 00:32:35,762
little proto-planetary discs.
568
00:32:35,764 --> 00:32:38,031
So these are
tiny little solar systems
569
00:32:38,033 --> 00:32:40,767
that are starting to form.
570
00:32:40,769 --> 00:32:43,903
Our own solar system was
probably in a very similar state
571
00:32:43,905 --> 00:32:45,238
billions of years ago,
572
00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,674
so the sun and the Earth
and all the planets
573
00:32:47,676 --> 00:32:50,176
were contained
inside this disk of dust.
574
00:32:52,547 --> 00:32:56,049
What Hubble did was
it really opened the door for us
575
00:32:56,051 --> 00:33:00,353
to image these disks and be able
to see them with our eyes.
576
00:33:00,355 --> 00:33:03,523
NARRATOR:
Hubble can see light
577
00:33:03,525 --> 00:33:07,594
up to four billion times fainter
than the human eye.
578
00:33:07,596 --> 00:33:12,966
MOUNTAIN:
It can point to the most distant
galaxies in the universe
579
00:33:12,968 --> 00:33:15,468
and stare at them continuously
without moving
580
00:33:15,470 --> 00:33:20,073
while it's flying around the
Earth at 17,000 miles an hour.
581
00:33:20,075 --> 00:33:24,878
NARRATOR:
This has allowed astronomers to
solve another enduring mystery:
582
00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,281
how many stars are there
in the universe?
583
00:33:28,283 --> 00:33:33,253
They did it by zooming in
to a tiny patch of sky.
584
00:33:33,255 --> 00:33:34,921
MOUNTAIN:
We wanted to find out,
585
00:33:34,923 --> 00:33:37,390
what happens if we just stare
at a blank piece of sky?
586
00:33:37,392 --> 00:33:40,226
About the area you would see
if you looked at the sky
587
00:33:40,228 --> 00:33:42,729
through a drinking straw.
588
00:33:42,731 --> 00:33:44,864
MOUNTAIN:
And so we stared at a single
point in the sky,
589
00:33:44,866 --> 00:33:47,333
a blank point,
for about ten days.
590
00:33:50,472 --> 00:33:53,439
NARRATOR:
In this seemingly empty
sliver of sky,
591
00:33:53,441 --> 00:33:57,710
Hubble revealed
10,000 points of light.
592
00:33:57,712 --> 00:34:01,748
MOUNTAIN:
Every point is another galaxy.
593
00:34:01,750 --> 00:34:05,184
LIVIO:
Each one of those galaxies
is a collection
594
00:34:05,186 --> 00:34:09,055
of about 100 billion stars
like the sun.
595
00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,663
NARRATOR:
Every galaxy is made
of stars, dust, and planets
596
00:34:16,665 --> 00:34:19,732
in solar systems like our own.
597
00:34:19,734 --> 00:34:22,302
MOUNTAIN:
As you fly through the whole
almost 12 billion years
598
00:34:22,304 --> 00:34:25,104
of cosmic history,
you start to see galaxies change
599
00:34:25,106 --> 00:34:28,408
as you go deeper and deeper in.
600
00:34:28,410 --> 00:34:32,078
And right at the very end,
you see these really
601
00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:35,582
sort of orange and red
fuzzy little blobs,
602
00:34:35,584 --> 00:34:38,818
which are the very earliest
galaxies.
603
00:34:38,820 --> 00:34:41,421
LIVIO:
In visible light,
604
00:34:41,423 --> 00:34:44,457
these are the deepest images
of the universe.
605
00:34:48,129 --> 00:34:51,364
MOUNTAIN:
So in a point in the sky
no bigger than a drinking straw,
606
00:34:51,366 --> 00:34:54,434
there are 10,000 galaxies.
607
00:34:54,436 --> 00:34:56,235
So it told us instantly
608
00:34:56,237 --> 00:35:01,374
there were 200 billion galaxies
in the observable universe.
609
00:35:01,376 --> 00:35:06,312
Each galaxy has roughly
100 billion stars.
610
00:35:06,314 --> 00:35:08,181
You do the math,
and it tells us
611
00:35:08,183 --> 00:35:11,584
how many stars there are
in our observable universe.
612
00:35:11,586 --> 00:35:15,688
It's two
with 22 zeroes after it.
613
00:35:21,062 --> 00:35:23,463
We didn't know that before the
Hubble Space Telescope went up.
614
00:35:27,068 --> 00:35:30,003
NARRATOR:
The telescope
would also help answer
615
00:35:30,005 --> 00:35:33,206
another one of the most profound
mysteries ever contemplated:
616
00:35:33,208 --> 00:35:36,943
how old is the universe?
617
00:35:36,945 --> 00:35:38,344
MOUNTAIN:
The Hubble Space Telescope
618
00:35:38,346 --> 00:35:40,046
represents exploring
in a true sense.
619
00:35:40,048 --> 00:35:41,814
You don't know what
you're going to find.
620
00:35:41,816 --> 00:35:45,218
NARRATOR:
The discovery
of the age of the universe
621
00:35:45,220 --> 00:35:47,420
would take a circuitous route,
622
00:35:47,422 --> 00:35:49,522
building on Edwin Hubble's
breakthrough
623
00:35:49,524 --> 00:35:52,525
that showed the universe
is expanding.
624
00:35:52,527 --> 00:35:57,296
It would also set the stage
for a shocking surprise.
625
00:35:57,298 --> 00:35:59,065
SAUL PERLMUTTER:
Everybody had known
for many years
626
00:35:59,067 --> 00:36:02,535
that the universe was expanding,
but everybody had assumed
627
00:36:02,537 --> 00:36:05,138
that the universe would
slow down in that expansion
628
00:36:05,140 --> 00:36:06,939
because gravity would attract
everything to everything else,
629
00:36:06,941 --> 00:36:08,574
and that would slow
the expansion.
630
00:36:08,576 --> 00:36:10,443
And the big question was,
631
00:36:10,445 --> 00:36:12,345
is there enough stuff
in the universe
632
00:36:12,347 --> 00:36:15,114
to gravitationally attract
the universe to come to a halt?
633
00:36:15,116 --> 00:36:18,284
ADAM RIESS:
Is gravity retarding it enough
634
00:36:18,286 --> 00:36:20,620
that eventually,
the expansion will stop
635
00:36:20,622 --> 00:36:22,822
and then the universe
would start contracting?
636
00:36:22,824 --> 00:36:25,291
And so we wanted to measure
as far out as we could,
637
00:36:25,293 --> 00:36:27,460
as far back in time as we could,
638
00:36:27,462 --> 00:36:29,495
the past expansion rate
of the universe
639
00:36:29,497 --> 00:36:31,197
and compare that to today.
640
00:36:33,601 --> 00:36:35,702
NARRATOR:
Like Edwin Hubble had
decades before,
641
00:36:35,704 --> 00:36:39,405
the scientists needed to find
stars of known brightness
642
00:36:39,407 --> 00:36:43,042
so they could accurately
measure distances.
643
00:36:43,044 --> 00:36:45,812
Hubble had used
Cepheid variables,
644
00:36:45,814 --> 00:36:48,281
but Perlmutter and Riess
searched for something
645
00:36:48,283 --> 00:36:51,651
called a Supernova Type 1a.
646
00:36:54,556 --> 00:36:59,592
These exploding stars all burn
with the same peak brightness,
647
00:36:59,594 --> 00:37:03,763
five billion times brighter
than our sun.
648
00:37:03,765 --> 00:37:06,099
But the trick was to find them.
649
00:37:06,101 --> 00:37:07,834
PERLMUTTER:
They really are rare.
650
00:37:07,836 --> 00:37:10,036
They only explode
a couple times per millennium
651
00:37:10,038 --> 00:37:13,339
in a given galaxy
of a hundred billion stars.
652
00:37:13,341 --> 00:37:15,074
And for that matter they don't
give you any advanced warning.
653
00:37:15,076 --> 00:37:16,476
You don't know
when it's going to happen.
654
00:37:16,478 --> 00:37:19,779
And then once a supernova
explodes,
655
00:37:19,781 --> 00:37:21,214
it brightens in a few weeks
656
00:37:21,216 --> 00:37:24,650
and it's faded away
in a few months.
657
00:37:24,652 --> 00:37:27,754
But if you can observe
some, oh, 50,000 galaxies
658
00:37:27,756 --> 00:37:29,655
in the course of a night,
659
00:37:29,657 --> 00:37:32,225
and then if you can wait
a few weeks
660
00:37:32,227 --> 00:37:34,460
and come back and observe
the same 50,000 galaxies,
661
00:37:34,462 --> 00:37:36,929
now you have
reasonably good odds
662
00:37:36,931 --> 00:37:39,031
that new supernova
will have exploded
663
00:37:39,033 --> 00:37:40,933
in some of those galaxies.
664
00:37:43,371 --> 00:37:45,538
NARRATOR:
The Hubble images
made it possible to measure
665
00:37:45,540 --> 00:37:47,840
how far away the supernovae were
666
00:37:47,842 --> 00:37:53,045
and how long it took their light
to reach the earth,
667
00:37:53,047 --> 00:37:57,784
even when they had exploded
billions of years in the past.
668
00:37:57,786 --> 00:37:59,786
PERLMUTTER:
And that's, of course,
the whole game here,
669
00:37:59,788 --> 00:38:01,354
because you need to be able
670
00:38:01,356 --> 00:38:03,189
to tell the brightness
of that supernova
671
00:38:03,191 --> 00:38:04,657
to tell exactly what point
in time in history
672
00:38:04,659 --> 00:38:06,092
you're looking at.
673
00:38:06,094 --> 00:38:09,462
NARRATOR:
With the same technique
Edwin Hubble had used--
674
00:38:09,464 --> 00:38:11,063
red shift--
675
00:38:11,065 --> 00:38:14,033
Perlmutter measured
a distant supernova's light
676
00:38:14,035 --> 00:38:17,670
to see how fast
it seemed to be moving away.
677
00:38:17,672 --> 00:38:21,607
He expected to see that
the expansion of the universe
678
00:38:21,609 --> 00:38:26,779
was slowing down,
but he was in for a surprise.
679
00:38:26,781 --> 00:38:29,582
PERLMUTTER:
It was seven, eight billion
years back in the past,
680
00:38:29,584 --> 00:38:34,120
and that one supernova
suggested that the universe
681
00:38:34,122 --> 00:38:35,555
was not slowing down.
682
00:38:35,557 --> 00:38:38,958
And this was very interesting,
very puzzling.
683
00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:44,363
NARRATOR:
His team then analyzed
42 more supernovae
684
00:38:44,365 --> 00:38:48,134
and came to a shocking
conclusion.
685
00:38:48,136 --> 00:38:50,837
PERLMUTTER:
That data set strongly suggested
686
00:38:50,839 --> 00:38:53,372
that the universe
was actually speeding up.
687
00:38:53,374 --> 00:38:56,742
NARRATOR:
Adam Riess was part
of a competing group,
688
00:38:56,744 --> 00:39:00,580
and his work was yielding
the same odd result.
689
00:39:00,582 --> 00:39:04,083
Looking into the past,
he expected to see that
690
00:39:04,085 --> 00:39:07,053
the expansion of the universe
had slowed,
691
00:39:07,055 --> 00:39:11,891
but five billion years ago,
it started to accelerate.
692
00:39:11,893 --> 00:39:14,093
RIESS:
You know, you worry
a tremendous amount
693
00:39:14,095 --> 00:39:16,395
because there are many ways
694
00:39:16,397 --> 00:39:17,964
to get a measurement
like that wrong,
695
00:39:17,966 --> 00:39:19,498
pretty much only one way
to get it right.
696
00:39:19,500 --> 00:39:22,802
PERLMUTTER:
The two teams working on this
at this point
697
00:39:22,804 --> 00:39:26,138
were in really
a type of rivalry.
698
00:39:26,140 --> 00:39:27,540
We were not talking
to each other
699
00:39:27,542 --> 00:39:29,041
about what we were finding
at all.
700
00:39:29,043 --> 00:39:30,977
You wake up at 2:00
in the morning and you think,
701
00:39:30,979 --> 00:39:34,280
"Oh, my God, did I account
for some subtlety?"
702
00:39:34,282 --> 00:39:36,349
We knew that
if we got anything wrong,
703
00:39:36,351 --> 00:39:39,785
the other group would be sure
to point it out.
704
00:39:39,787 --> 00:39:41,254
Did I subtract it
from the total?
705
00:39:41,256 --> 00:39:42,622
Is this right?
706
00:39:42,624 --> 00:39:45,524
And you know,
it's like cosmic accounting,
707
00:39:45,526 --> 00:39:49,829
and you gotta make sure
that it's right.
708
00:39:49,831 --> 00:39:54,400
NARRATOR:
But the numbers were correct.
709
00:39:54,402 --> 00:39:57,770
Within weeks of each other
in 1998,
710
00:39:57,772 --> 00:40:02,375
the two teams announced
the same shocking conclusion:
711
00:40:02,377 --> 00:40:04,644
the expansion of the universe
was speeding up.
712
00:40:04,646 --> 00:40:07,780
ANNOUNCER:
You have been awarded
the Nobel Prize in Physics
713
00:40:07,782 --> 00:40:09,982
for the discovery
714
00:40:09,984 --> 00:40:12,184
of the accelerating expansion
of the universe.
715
00:40:14,656 --> 00:40:16,188
NARRATOR:
Perlmutter and Riess,
716
00:40:16,190 --> 00:40:18,491
together with Riess' team leader
Brian Schmidt,
717
00:40:18,493 --> 00:40:22,728
shared the 2011 Nobel Prize
in physics.
718
00:40:22,730 --> 00:40:25,164
(applause)
719
00:40:25,166 --> 00:40:27,500
But their discovery had
opened up a whole new mystery.
720
00:40:27,502 --> 00:40:31,704
What was fueling
the acceleration?
721
00:40:31,706 --> 00:40:34,240
Scientists called it
dark energy.
722
00:40:34,242 --> 00:40:37,510
PERLMUTTER:
Something like 70%
of all the stuff in the universe
723
00:40:37,512 --> 00:40:39,412
has to be made
of this dark energy
724
00:40:39,414 --> 00:40:41,580
for the universe to be
accelerating the way it is.
725
00:40:41,582 --> 00:40:45,918
And so it's possibly the most
important stuff in the universe,
726
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:48,454
and we don't know anything
about it.
727
00:40:48,456 --> 00:40:50,756
I don't really know
what dark energy is.
728
00:40:50,758 --> 00:40:53,960
We don't have an explanation
that would satisfy
729
00:40:53,962 --> 00:40:57,296
really anybody,
especially a physicist.
730
00:40:57,298 --> 00:40:59,765
And so it's blowing
everybody's minds again.
731
00:40:59,767 --> 00:41:02,568
Physicists call this the most
important problem in physics
732
00:41:02,570 --> 00:41:04,637
because we don't know where
this dark energy's come from.
733
00:41:04,639 --> 00:41:06,572
We can't calculate
where it's come from.
734
00:41:06,574 --> 00:41:08,040
Our models don't work.
735
00:41:11,012 --> 00:41:12,979
NARRATOR:
But despite the mystery,
736
00:41:12,981 --> 00:41:15,381
the discovery helped finally
resolve the question
737
00:41:15,383 --> 00:41:18,985
astronomers had dreamed
of answering for centuries:
738
00:41:18,987 --> 00:41:21,854
how old is the universe?
739
00:41:21,856 --> 00:41:24,056
PERLMUTTER:
You need to know that history
740
00:41:24,058 --> 00:41:26,859
of when was it faster,
when was it slower
741
00:41:26,861 --> 00:41:28,594
if you're going
to piece it all together
742
00:41:28,596 --> 00:41:30,563
and work our way
back to the point
743
00:41:30,565 --> 00:41:33,099
at which all the distances
would go to zero,
744
00:41:33,101 --> 00:41:34,667
the beginning of the universe.
745
00:41:34,669 --> 00:41:36,535
The Big Bang.
746
00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:40,706
NARRATOR:
Scientists found Cepheids
and supernovae
747
00:41:40,708 --> 00:41:44,176
stretching far across
the universe.
748
00:41:44,178 --> 00:41:47,980
They used Hubble
to measure their distances
749
00:41:47,982 --> 00:41:50,383
and red shift to figure out
750
00:41:50,385 --> 00:41:53,519
how fast these points
seemed to be traveling away.
751
00:41:53,521 --> 00:41:58,090
This revealed how long
the total expansion had taken
752
00:41:58,092 --> 00:42:00,426
since the Big Bang.
753
00:42:00,428 --> 00:42:03,696
FABER:
Hubble provided a ruler
for the universe.
754
00:42:03,698 --> 00:42:06,499
So when you put together
the basic size and the history
755
00:42:06,501 --> 00:42:09,735
of how fast things were going
in the past,
756
00:42:09,737 --> 00:42:11,604
you get 13.7 billion years.
757
00:42:14,108 --> 00:42:18,644
NARRATOR:
Our universe is
13.7 billion years old.
758
00:42:18,646 --> 00:42:23,115
Hubble had finally helped answer
this fundamental question.
759
00:42:23,117 --> 00:42:24,817
LIVIO:
There was a promise,
760
00:42:24,819 --> 00:42:26,719
and Hubble delivered
on that promise.
761
00:42:29,824 --> 00:42:33,492
NARRATOR:
And then, nearly a century
after Edwin Hubble
762
00:42:33,494 --> 00:42:36,462
first glimpsed galaxies
beyond our own,
763
00:42:36,464 --> 00:42:40,900
the space telescope took on
another profound question.
764
00:42:40,902 --> 00:42:44,837
How do galaxies actually form?
765
00:42:44,839 --> 00:42:49,475
At the center of the mystery,
black holes--
766
00:42:49,477 --> 00:42:54,680
regions so dense that nothing
can escape their pull.
767
00:42:54,682 --> 00:42:58,951
FABER:
The basic idea of a black hole
is the gravity's so strong
768
00:42:58,953 --> 00:43:00,920
that nothing can escape.
769
00:43:00,922 --> 00:43:03,689
Even light cannot get out.
770
00:43:03,691 --> 00:43:06,759
We can't take a picture
of a black hole directly.
771
00:43:06,761 --> 00:43:08,160
It's black.
772
00:43:08,162 --> 00:43:09,795
So how do we know it's there?
773
00:43:09,797 --> 00:43:11,263
We know it's there
774
00:43:11,265 --> 00:43:14,700
by studying the way stuff moves
in its vicinity.
775
00:43:14,702 --> 00:43:18,170
Things orbiting close to it
are gonna go very fast,
776
00:43:18,172 --> 00:43:20,706
but you have to get
very close to the hole
777
00:43:20,708 --> 00:43:22,341
in order to see that effect.
778
00:43:25,179 --> 00:43:27,980
NARRATOR:
Scientists had theorized
but never proven
779
00:43:27,982 --> 00:43:31,016
the existence
of supermassive black holes
780
00:43:31,018 --> 00:43:34,086
billions of times
the mass of our sun
781
00:43:34,088 --> 00:43:35,921
until they used Hubble
782
00:43:35,923 --> 00:43:40,192
to look at the core of a galaxy
called M87.
783
00:43:40,194 --> 00:43:43,329
FABER:
It was the superior
spatial resolution of Hubble
784
00:43:43,331 --> 00:43:45,064
that was the key.
785
00:43:45,066 --> 00:43:46,832
In the galaxy M87,
786
00:43:46,834 --> 00:43:48,934
the gas on this side
is coming towards you
787
00:43:48,936 --> 00:43:51,971
and the gas on that side
is going away from you.
788
00:43:51,973 --> 00:43:54,106
And we can measure the motions
789
00:43:54,108 --> 00:43:55,741
and calculate the mass
of the black hole:
790
00:43:55,743 --> 00:43:59,111
three billion times the mass
of our sun.
791
00:43:59,113 --> 00:44:04,483
NARRATOR:
But how common
are these giant black holes?
792
00:44:04,485 --> 00:44:08,787
Sandra Faber's team used Hubble
to measure the speeds of stars
793
00:44:08,789 --> 00:44:11,590
orbiting around the center
of other galaxies
794
00:44:11,592 --> 00:44:14,460
and discovered something
remarkable.
795
00:44:14,462 --> 00:44:17,563
FABER:
We accumulated measurements
of stellar speeds
796
00:44:17,565 --> 00:44:19,365
in I would say
two dozen galaxies,
797
00:44:19,367 --> 00:44:21,500
and in every one
798
00:44:21,502 --> 00:44:24,670
we found evidence
for a compact central mass.
799
00:44:24,672 --> 00:44:28,908
Essentially, at the center
of almost every galaxy,
800
00:44:28,910 --> 00:44:30,809
there is a supermassive
black hole.
801
00:44:30,811 --> 00:44:34,480
There is some regulating
mechanism here
802
00:44:34,482 --> 00:44:38,984
that makes the black hole
and the bulge of stars around it
803
00:44:38,986 --> 00:44:41,320
grow together.
804
00:44:41,322 --> 00:44:44,823
So it is a chicken and egg
problem in the sense that
805
00:44:44,825 --> 00:44:47,493
did the galaxy form first
806
00:44:47,495 --> 00:44:49,295
and then a black hole
grew inside it,
807
00:44:49,297 --> 00:44:51,997
or did the black hole
808
00:44:51,999 --> 00:44:55,534
kind of seed the formation
of the galaxy?
809
00:44:55,536 --> 00:45:00,139
And we're actually not sure
what the answer to that is.
810
00:45:00,141 --> 00:45:02,474
NARRATOR:
The precise relationship
811
00:45:02,476 --> 00:45:07,012
between supermassive black holes
and galaxies remains a mystery.
812
00:45:07,014 --> 00:45:10,783
It's just one
of the countless questions
813
00:45:10,785 --> 00:45:14,553
and profound discoveries
generated by Hubble
814
00:45:14,555 --> 00:45:17,790
over its 25 year history.
815
00:45:17,792 --> 00:45:20,159
And its continued success
816
00:45:20,161 --> 00:45:24,296
is a testament to the humans
who have kept it going.
817
00:45:24,298 --> 00:45:26,498
MISSION CONTROL:
We want you to use
your best judgment
818
00:45:26,500 --> 00:45:30,736
if the pitching array will
definitely clear the top of HST.
819
00:45:33,541 --> 00:45:35,975
NARRATOR:
Astronauts have upgraded
the telescope
820
00:45:35,977 --> 00:45:38,911
on five different missions
since its launch.
821
00:45:38,913 --> 00:45:43,616
ASTRONAUT:
Hubble has arrived
on board Atlantis.
822
00:45:45,953 --> 00:45:47,620
ASTRONAUT:
Okay, here we go.
823
00:45:47,622 --> 00:45:50,923
NARRATOR:
The last visit to Hubble
was in 2009.
824
00:45:50,925 --> 00:45:55,361
Astronauts needed to replace
the wide field camera
825
00:45:55,363 --> 00:45:57,162
and install and repair
spectrographs
826
00:45:57,164 --> 00:46:00,766
that could help peer
into black holes
827
00:46:00,768 --> 00:46:03,402
and analyze the atmospheres
of distant planets.
828
00:46:03,404 --> 00:46:09,008
As on past missions,
ingenuity saves the day.
829
00:46:09,010 --> 00:46:11,543
MIKE MASSIMINO:
That handrail is obstructing
the attachment
830
00:46:11,545 --> 00:46:14,413
of the fastener/catcher plate.
831
00:46:14,415 --> 00:46:16,115
NARRATOR:
Astronaut Mike Massimino
832
00:46:16,117 --> 00:46:20,552
can't remove a handrail
blocking his access to Hubble.
833
00:46:20,554 --> 00:46:23,122
MASSIMINO:
We couldn't get inside the thing
to do the repair,
834
00:46:23,124 --> 00:46:26,492
and I just felt terrible.
835
00:46:26,494 --> 00:46:28,327
This is gonna be my contribution
to astronomy,
836
00:46:28,329 --> 00:46:29,895
which is killing our opportunity
837
00:46:29,897 --> 00:46:32,798
to be able to analyze
the atmospheres of planets.
838
00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:34,066
That darn handrail!
839
00:46:34,068 --> 00:46:35,868
MASSIMINO:
I thought we were sunk,
840
00:46:35,870 --> 00:46:38,170
because I did not see any way
we were gonna fix this thing.
841
00:46:40,474 --> 00:46:42,808
NARRATOR:
And then engineers come up
with a radical idea.
842
00:46:44,879 --> 00:46:47,546
Break off the handle.
843
00:46:47,548 --> 00:46:49,315
It's a risky approach.
844
00:46:49,317 --> 00:46:51,116
MASSIMINO:
By yanking that thing off,
845
00:46:51,118 --> 00:46:53,018
by definition,
we're going to have
846
00:46:53,020 --> 00:46:56,088
little shards of metal flying,
847
00:46:56,090 --> 00:46:57,589
so I put a lot of tape
on the handrail
848
00:46:57,591 --> 00:47:00,793
to make sure that none
of that stuff would get out.
849
00:47:00,795 --> 00:47:01,627
DREW FEUSTEL:
Houston, you ready for this?
850
00:47:01,629 --> 00:47:02,461
MISSION CONTROL:
Yeah, we're ready.
851
00:47:02,463 --> 00:47:04,163
FEUSTEL:
Okay Mass, you have a "go."
852
00:47:04,165 --> 00:47:05,431
MASSIMINO:
Here we go.
853
00:47:08,669 --> 00:47:09,668
It's off!
854
00:47:09,670 --> 00:47:12,604
(cheering)
855
00:47:12,606 --> 00:47:14,039
Disposal bag, please.
856
00:47:14,041 --> 00:47:16,241
MASSIMINO:
The handrail was out of the way
857
00:47:16,243 --> 00:47:17,509
and wasn't going to be
a problem anymore.
858
00:47:17,511 --> 00:47:19,712
I felt really happy
that we got the job done
859
00:47:19,714 --> 00:47:21,513
and we were leaving Hubble
in good shape.
860
00:47:21,515 --> 00:47:24,850
LIVIO:
Hubble is working right now
861
00:47:24,852 --> 00:47:27,486
probably the best
it has ever worked.
862
00:47:27,488 --> 00:47:30,122
It produces discoveries
every day.
863
00:47:30,124 --> 00:47:32,891
NARRATOR:
The new instruments
have allowed us
864
00:47:32,893 --> 00:47:35,260
to look deeper
into the universe,
865
00:47:35,262 --> 00:47:38,063
revealing even more detail
than before.
866
00:47:41,202 --> 00:47:44,636
This recent image
of the Andromeda galaxy
867
00:47:44,638 --> 00:47:48,807
is the highest resolution
Hubble photo ever taken.
868
00:47:48,809 --> 00:47:51,643
More than 60,000 light years
across,
869
00:47:51,645 --> 00:47:56,181
it shows more than
100 million stars.
870
00:47:56,183 --> 00:47:59,785
And just this past year,
871
00:47:59,787 --> 00:48:02,788
a spectrograph installed
on Massimino's mission
872
00:48:02,790 --> 00:48:06,425
analyzed the light filtering
through the atmosphere
873
00:48:06,427 --> 00:48:10,696
of a planet 729 trillion miles
from our own,
874
00:48:10,698 --> 00:48:15,167
and found water.
875
00:48:15,169 --> 00:48:16,935
We absolutely couldn't have done
this work without Hubble.
876
00:48:16,937 --> 00:48:22,474
NARRATOR:
It's a remarkable contribution
for a 25-year-old machine.
877
00:48:22,476 --> 00:48:24,476
MASSIMINO:
Every one of the science
instruments
878
00:48:24,478 --> 00:48:26,278
were eventually replaced.
879
00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:27,746
We don't have any
of the original ones left.
880
00:48:27,748 --> 00:48:31,150
And that's why it's still doing
its job 25 years later.
881
00:48:31,152 --> 00:48:33,318
We don't warranty the labor,
882
00:48:33,320 --> 00:48:35,287
not sure about the parts,
you'd gotta check with NASA,
883
00:48:35,289 --> 00:48:37,723
but I think it's gonna be going
for a long time.
884
00:48:39,693 --> 00:48:43,662
NARRATOR:
But with the Space Shuttle
decommissioned in 2011,
885
00:48:43,664 --> 00:48:46,231
there's no way to reach Hubble.
886
00:48:46,233 --> 00:48:48,934
And the telescope's days
are numbered.
887
00:48:48,936 --> 00:48:51,737
ASTRONAUT:
Hey John, this is like
spacewalk number 714?
888
00:48:51,739 --> 00:48:53,672
Six.
889
00:48:53,674 --> 00:48:57,709
NARRATOR:
Astronaut John Grunsfeld
visited Hubble three times,
890
00:48:57,711 --> 00:48:59,511
more than anyone else,
891
00:48:59,513 --> 00:49:05,384
and was the last human to touch
the telescope in 2009.
892
00:49:05,386 --> 00:49:07,920
GRUNSFELD:
We'd finished all of the work
that we had planned,
893
00:49:07,922 --> 00:49:09,288
and I was in my spacesuit
894
00:49:09,290 --> 00:49:11,757
and getting ready to come back
into the airlock,
895
00:49:11,759 --> 00:49:14,793
and I gave Hubble, you know,
one last tap to say goodbye,
896
00:49:14,795 --> 00:49:20,432
and I just felt incredibly happy
that we'd had this amazing ride.
897
00:49:20,434 --> 00:49:23,335
And I watched it disappear
off into the distance
898
00:49:23,337 --> 00:49:27,773
and I knew I would never
see Hubble again,
899
00:49:27,775 --> 00:49:31,310
but we'd accomplished so much,
it was just a matter of joy.
900
00:49:36,484 --> 00:49:40,586
NARRATOR:
Scientists hope that Hubble
will work for another decade,
901
00:49:40,588 --> 00:49:42,354
but with every orbit,
902
00:49:42,356 --> 00:49:46,024
it encounters slight drag
from the earth's atmosphere.
903
00:49:46,026 --> 00:49:49,428
The telescope will eventually
fall from the sky,
904
00:49:49,430 --> 00:49:52,764
probably in the late 2030s.
905
00:49:52,766 --> 00:49:55,701
Most of Hubble with burn up,
906
00:49:55,703 --> 00:49:59,438
but the mirror
will likely survive reentry,
907
00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:03,842
so NASA may send up a robot
with a small rocket
908
00:50:03,844 --> 00:50:06,678
to help guide it safely
into the ocean.
909
00:50:06,680 --> 00:50:08,580
GRUNSFELD:
One of the requirements
910
00:50:08,582 --> 00:50:10,749
for the mission
that we flew in 2009
911
00:50:10,751 --> 00:50:12,851
was to install an adapter
912
00:50:12,853 --> 00:50:15,754
on the bottom
of the Hubble Space Telescope
913
00:50:15,756 --> 00:50:17,489
so that a future mission
could dock with it
914
00:50:17,491 --> 00:50:18,957
so that at the end
of Hubble's life,
915
00:50:18,959 --> 00:50:21,159
we could send it
into the atmosphere
916
00:50:21,161 --> 00:50:24,229
so that it would re-enter
over a known place on Earth.
917
00:50:24,231 --> 00:50:30,769
NARRATOR:
But before Hubble de-orbits,
NASA is planning to launch
918
00:50:30,771 --> 00:50:35,340
an even larger telescope
called the James Webb.
919
00:50:35,342 --> 00:50:39,611
It has a foldable mirror
three times larger than Hubble's
920
00:50:39,613 --> 00:50:44,683
and will be sent to an orbit
beyond the moon.
921
00:50:44,685 --> 00:50:48,220
But it will be hard to live up
to the legacy of Hubble.
922
00:50:50,925 --> 00:50:54,026
MOUNTAIN:
The Hubble Space Telescope is
probably the most scientifically
923
00:50:54,028 --> 00:50:56,094
productive instrument
in history.
924
00:50:59,099 --> 00:51:01,166
Before the Hubble was launched,
925
00:51:01,168 --> 00:51:03,268
we didn't actually know
the age of the universe.
926
00:51:06,674 --> 00:51:08,507
The Hubble just sorted
that question out-- bang!
927
00:51:11,211 --> 00:51:14,079
We had never seen
black holes before.
928
00:51:14,081 --> 00:51:20,619
After Hubble, we know that every
single galaxy has a black hole.
929
00:51:20,621 --> 00:51:24,590
We knew that when stars
finish their life scale,
930
00:51:24,592 --> 00:51:26,558
they form planetary nebulae.
931
00:51:26,560 --> 00:51:28,393
Hubble just catalogued
932
00:51:28,395 --> 00:51:30,629
every single type
of planetary nebulae.
933
00:51:30,631 --> 00:51:33,599
And then it caught supernovae
blowing up.
934
00:51:36,036 --> 00:51:39,571
We had no idea the universe
was filled with dark energy.
935
00:51:39,573 --> 00:51:41,340
We didn't even know
that was possible.
936
00:51:42,977 --> 00:51:46,511
We've seen into the depths
where stars are formed.
937
00:51:46,513 --> 00:51:51,283
We can actually see the
formation of planetary systems.
938
00:51:51,285 --> 00:51:52,551
We knew that theoretically--
939
00:51:52,553 --> 00:51:54,987
we can now see
all of that stuff.
940
00:51:54,989 --> 00:51:57,122
So you just tick off
all of those discoveries
941
00:51:57,124 --> 00:51:59,391
and our whole worldview
is just changed.
942
00:51:59,393 --> 00:52:05,130
The human desire is
to find out who we are.
943
00:52:05,132 --> 00:52:06,598
Are we alone?
944
00:52:06,600 --> 00:52:07,799
Where did we come from?
945
00:52:07,801 --> 00:52:08,967
How did we get here?
946
00:52:08,969 --> 00:52:15,207
These questions
probably will outlive all of us.
947
00:52:15,209 --> 00:52:17,843
But I think Hubble
has been very important
948
00:52:17,845 --> 00:52:20,045
in making progress
toward these answers.
949
00:52:31,258 --> 00:52:33,425
In caves dangerously deep
underground...
950
00:52:33,427 --> 00:52:35,761
where you can watch this
and other NOVA programs.
951
00:52:35,763 --> 00:52:38,030
See expert interviews,
interactives,
952
00:52:38,032 --> 00:52:40,165
video extras, and more.
953
00:52:40,167 --> 00:52:42,034
Follow NOVA on Facebook
and Twitter,
954
00:52:42,036 --> 00:52:45,237
and find us online
at pbs.org/nova.
955
00:53:03,023 --> 00:53:05,791
This NOVA program
is available on DVD.
956
00:53:05,793 --> 00:53:10,862
To order, visit shopPBS.org,
or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS.
957
00:53:10,864 --> 00:53:10,862
NOVA is also available
for download from iTunes.