re hst servicing mission scheduled for days in article apr den mmc com zwork starfighter den mmc com michael corvin writes regarding the feasability of retrieving the hst for repair and relaunching it caution speculation mode engaged there is another consideration that hasn t been mentioned yet i expect that retrieving hst would involve damaging it considerably in order to return it to its cradle in the cargo bay most of the deployed items antennas and especially the solar arays probably are not retractable into their fully stowed position even by hand they would have to be removed by the astronauts the only advantage that this might yield is that we could put new panels on that don t ring due to thermal cycle stresses i also expect that as has been discussed the landing loads on the hst optics structure is a big issue but that the reentry loads are much less so can the moveable optical components even be re caged i assume that they were caged for launch it would be nice if someone here from the hst program was talking instead of all the speculation that is going on here from what i understand from dr frank six of the marshall space flight center there is no insrmountable problem in bringing hst back it was designed that way to begin with also it is my understanding that the solar arrays will be one of the items replaced on this mission the originals were built by brit aerospace and i think the new ones are too i am currently working with the guys at msfc that are in charge is the hst power system although i have not spoken with them in a long time about hst dennis university of alabama in huntsville
