Talk about good timing! A few days before the launch of the servicing mission for the Hubble Space Telescope a highly critical component in the famed astronomical sleuth failed — and it wasn’t one that was scheduled to be serviced.

Can you imagine the heartbreak if it had failed after the service visit? We would have lost Hubble, with no chance to ever fix it again. It would have been like putting gobs of money into getting your old car all fixed up and then having it run over by a cement mixer the next day.

And so, as sad as the loss of observation time is, at least the faulty component can now be put on the “list of things to fix” and be added to the final service mission.

Not that it will be a walk in the park — it was already tagged for five very challenging spacewalks that the astronauts have been training for in Houston for a long time. Now there’s an added task. And needless to say the service mission has to be delayed for quite some time — February of next year at the earliest, but most likely later than that.

First of all, components for your super space telescope can’t be found in the bulk bin at Wal-Mart; it takes time to manufacture the piece of hardware. Secondly, it’s not like changing a light bulb either — the astronauts have to be trained for the job and they have to practice switching over to the new component while constantly rehearsing what they’ve already trained for so far. Use it or lose it — it’s just like learning a new language.

Then there is the issue of astronaut safety. When the shuttle goes to the International Space Station for an assembly mission it automatically goes to a “safe haven” of sorts. So if the orbiter is damaged during the launch the astronauts can take shelter at the ISS and wait for a rescue shuttle to come and get them, at which point the damaged orbiter would be discarded.

Since Hubble provides us with stunning pictures but no room at the inn, the astronauts would effectively be stranded in orbit should the unthinkable occur. Therefore, another shuttle has to be ready on the launch pad awaiting the signal to go and get the Hubble repair team.

This means finding a launch window when two shuttles can be on the pads at the same time has to be identified first. You see, it all snowballs from here. But we all love Hubble, so I’m sure it will all be worth it.

Get lots more details at http://hubble.nasa.gov/

Beate Czogalla is the associate professor of theater design in the Department of Music and Theatre at Georgia College & State University. She has had a lifelong interest in space exploration and has been a solar system ambassador for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/ NASA for many years. She can be reached at our_space2@yahoo.com.