Hubble Vision | BBC Documentary | Horizon

The less-than-perfect pictures received from the Hubble space telescope, following earlier delays in the project, were a scientific disappointment and a financial embarrassment. Much was at stake, then, when a rescue mission flew into space to chase, catch and repair the equipment. The precision needed is indicated by one of the astronauts when describing the main mirror of the telescope: “If you scaled up the mirror to the size of the 48 continuous states of the USA, it would be smooth to within one inch.“ The mission proves almost as smooth, in spite of the constant need to react to the unexpected, and the relief of those on the ground is obvious. Horizon follows this journey into space from training to triumph