I’ve always wondered How could They have
screwed up the Mirror?
That looks fascinating; thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting. A refreshing change. I just put a hold on the book at our library. I’m #1 in line for it!
I’m about a third of the way through the video — this is fantastic! Love it! I never knew about the genesis of the Large Space Telescope. Robert Zimmerman is masterful at delivering such a lecture!
Personal aside: Zimmerman mentions the early space programs and how weather satellites were among the first applications because resolution could be low (because hurricanes were so huge), the earth and clouds were bright (short exposures), and it was easy to transmit the data.
My Dad was the General Electric Program Manager in charge of the Nimbus project in the early 60s. I was about 12 or 13 at the time and remember him telling me all about space imaging and the importance of “false color.” I still remember asking him what was wrong with “real color” and why were they using “false” color. Nimbus 1 was launched August 28, 1964 into near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit.
Dad went on to manage the “Earth Resources Technology Satellite 1” (or ERTS”) at General Electric’s (GE’s) Space Division in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (later renamed “Landsat 1”). It was a modified version of the Nimbus 4 meteorological satellite and was launched on July 23, 1972 by a Delta 900 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
I never did anything in my career remotely as much fun or as exciting as what Dad worked on.
Ping for later
Go to this point in the video:
https://youtu.be/5mNJAf83YTs?t=2044
for a discussion on how the screw up in grinding occurred.
Was it really necessary to excerpt this short blog post?
Bookmarking
The Hubble telescope proves out Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God” by discovering beauties never before seen by man.
Hubble is being replaced by the James Webb telescope.
My son is about to graduate as an aerospace engineer. Several of his friends are working on the Webb project.