Rehearsal for the HST repair mission. Space-suited astronauts Kathy Thornton and Tom Akers seen during training for Shuttle Mission STS-61, the repair

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Rehearsal for the HST repair mission. Space-suited astronauts Kathy Thornton and Tom Akers seen during training for Shuttle Mission STS-61, the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. To simulate working under zero gravity in orbit, the astronauts train inside a deep pool of water known as WET-F (Weightless Environment Training Facility). Here, the astronauts are practicing the replacement of the telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera (WFPC) with an updated model. The WFPC fits into the slot on the body of the telescope (just above centre). At bottom is a mock-up of the Shuttle's cargo bay area. STS-61 is scheduled for flight in December 1993.

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Size: 5005px × 3345px
Photo credit: © NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: akers, buoyancy, hst, hubble, katherine, manned, nasa, pool, program, programme, rehearsal, rehersal, repair, shuttle, space, spaceflight, tank, telescope, thomas, thornton, training, underwater, wet-