2002
Servicing Mission 3B
March 1-12, 2002
During SM3B, astronauts replaced Hubble's solar panels and installed the Advanced Camera for Surveys, which took the place of Hubble's Faint Object Camera, the telescope's last original instrument.
![SM3b Patch](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/sm3b_logo.png?w=4096&format=png)
March 1, 2002 – Launch of Servicing Mission 3B
At 5:22 a.m. ET, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with seven astronauts aboard.
![The space shuttle Columbia lifts off into a dark sky, illuminated by the flame pouring from its engine, which reflects as well off the clouds of billowing smoke surrounding it.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/columbia-liftoff-1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 3, 2002 – Hubble Captured and Secured in the Cargo Bay
The crew used Columbia's robotic arm to gently dock Hubble in the shuttle’s cargo bay so that his crewmates could work on the telescope.
![Hubble, on the end of the robotic arm after it was captured in space, is lowered onto its berthing hardware in the cargo bay, with a colorful section of earth below.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/27947790171-849723abba-o.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 4, 2002 – First Spacewalk
Astronauts Rick Linnehan and John Grunsfeld conducted the mission's first spacewalk and replaced Hubble's starboard solar array.
![An astronaut works on a flat, square-shaped device (a folded solar array) against the white cloudy background of Earth.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/grunsfeld-linnehan.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 5, 2002 – Second Spacewalk
Astronauts James Newman and Michael Massimino finished installing new solar arrays on Hubble, which provided more power to the observatory. They also changed out one of Hubble's four Reaction Wheel Assemblies that use spin momentum to turn Hubble and keep it steady.
![Two spacewalking astronauts, one standing attached to the space shuttle's robotic arm, work on the Hubble Space Telescope in the shuttle's cargo bay.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/hubble-faq-reaction-wheels-sts-109-eva2-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
March 6, 2002 – Third Spacewalk
For the first time in Hubble's history, the telescope was completely powered down so that astronauts John Grunsfeld and Rick Linnehan could install a new Power Control Unit. This replacement PCU allows astronomers to take full advantage of extra power generated by the new solar arrays.
![Two astronauts, one positioned on the space shuttle's robotic arm, work on the Hubble Space Telescope. One astronaut peers into an open door on the telescope. The telescope's solar array is clearly visible to the right.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/servicing-mission-3b-grunsfeld-and-linnehan.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 7, 2002 – Fourth Spacewalk
On the fourth spacewalk of the mission, the Advanced Camera for Surveys was installed by astronauts James Newman and Michael Massimino. This powerful instrument has delivered spectacular images of the universe and is expected to generate more discoveries for years to come.
![Hubble is framed by a blue and cloudy Earth as astronauts work on the telescope, one perched on the shuttle's robotic arm.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/newman-and-massimino-working-on-hubble.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 8, 2002 – Final Spacewalk
During the fifth and final spacewalk of the mission, the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer was revived by astronauts John Grunsfeld and Rick Linnehan with their completion of the installation of an experimental cooling system. NICMOS remained operational until 2008.
![Two astronauts float in the cargo bay in bright sunlight.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/27923243952-f5dd4fa361-o.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 9, 2002 – Hubble Released Back Into Orbit
The crew of SM3B used Columbia's robotic arm to lift Hubble from the cargo bay and release it back into its orbit.
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/hst-shuttle-window.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
March 12, 2002 – Servicing Mission 3B Comes to a Close
The fourth servicing mission to Hubble came to a close as the Space Shuttle Columbia landed back at Kennedy Space Center at 4:33 a.m.
![The space shuttle columbia is dimly seen from the front coming in for a landing in the early morning darkness.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/columbia-landing.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)