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The last time shuttle astronauts linked-up with the Hubble, they had to restore the orbiting telescope's sight ... and its reputation. The mission remains one of the most daring and successful in NASA history.
In December 1993, the Endeavour, with a crew of seven, intercepted the Hubble, grabbed the telescope with a robotic arm, then berthed the 25,000-lb. orbiting observatory in the shuttle's cargo bay.
Then the repair work began. During five spacewalks that lasted a record-setting 35 hours 28 minutes, astronauts replaced or repaired the telescope's myopic primary mirror, an outdated camera, two wobbly solar-energy panels, three faulty gyroscopes and other major components.
When the 11-day mission was over, the "Dr. Goodwrenches" of the Endeavour crew had accomplished the toughest assignment ever handed to a shuttle crew. And the Hubble has been working flawlessly ever since.
Watch the Vivo movies 
(1:30/288K Vivo Movie)
(1:10/256K Vivo Movie)
(NASA Photos)
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