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Rescue Mission in Space
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
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After the flaws in the Hubble Telescope were discovered, NASA
engineers spent nearly two years planning a repair mission.
Before students watch the program, ask them to make a list of
some of the problems that astronauts would face while working in
space. How could they prepare or practice for their repair
mission in space? Have students follow the problem as they view
the program, noting how much of the work was done on the ground
before the Endeavor mission took place.
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The Hubble Telescope was launched in hopes that it would collect
data to use in investigating several theories about objects in
space. While watching, have students keep track of the
objectives that scientists have for the telescope. What evidence
are scientists looking for to answer their questions?
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It took NASA and the scientific community more than 40 years to
create the Hubble Space Telescope. An estimated 10,000 people
were involved in the project, and today approximately 600 people
operate the telescope and study the data it collects. As they
watch, have students consider some of the benefits and drawbacks
of scientists working in such large teams.
After Watching
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In this program, Jim Crocker, one of the scientists working on
the Hubble's defective mirror, describes how he arrived at a
solution after months of brainstorming. A folding showerhead
suddenly gave him the idea of folding up the corrective lenses
in a box. Have students brainstorm a list of tools or equipment
that can be compared to other items, or describe problems that
they have solved by using a piece of equipment that was designed
for another purpose.
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Which of the problems that arose during the repair mission had
been anticipated by the scientists? What problems were not
foreseen? How were the problems solved?
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Most of the work that was done in the spacewalks involved
teamwork by two or more astronauts and Mission Control staff.
What skills do students think are necessary for working well in
such a team situation? Encourage students to think about social
skills, creative problem-solving skills, and communication
skills.
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