Dudley Doright in Space? Canadians to Fix Hubble

THURSDAY JANUARY 6 2005 9:38 AM

Submitted by adjunct. Edited By Sean.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, an aerospace and information systems consultancy, has been tapped by NASA to try to repair the Hubble telescope.

The Canadian firm, which built the Canadarm robotic arm technology used on NASA's space shuttles, said it will supply "potential information and robotic servicing solutions" for the Hubble repair mission.

NASA officials said in August they planned to use the Canadian robot technology in a bid to replace fading batteries and gyroscopes on the telescope that has helped scientists explore the origins of the cosmos since its launch in 1990.

This comes as something of a surprise, considering that just last month, two agencies that NASA tapped to assess the feasability of a Hubble rescure and repair mission responded with a resounding no.

Better yet, successful completion of the repair mission could pave the way for the ascent of our new robot overlords, according to MDA CEO Dan Friedmann:

"The Hubble mission and our strategic participation in other space missions will demonstrate that robots can cost-effectively complete complex tasks in space, while working together with astronauts on the ground."

3 Comments

witchhunter

Jackson, TN

February 2003

JAN 06, 2005 10:56 AM

I hope that if this attempt doesn't work, NASA will offer private industry a chance at hubble.

abadinfluence

Canada

July 2003

JAN 06, 2005 10:58 AM

All I can say to this .... Canadarm is the worst fucking name for a device ever. Gey.

faustroll

Savannah, GA

January 2003

JAN 06, 2005 01:16 PM

Those nice canadians, always helping us out, whether we deserve it or not.

And Witchhunter, exactly who in the private sector has the ability to fix hubble?