NASA’s deep space observatory
spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has been successfully upgraded
and repaired using a variety of advanced technologies designed and developed
by Swales Aerospace, the company announced today.

Under its ongoing Mechanical Systems and Engineering Services Contract
with the Goddard Space Center, Swales provided engineering, analysis and
supported hardware development for the repair mission (SM-3B) that began with
the launch of the space shuttle Columbia on March 1, 2002. The mission (STS-
93) was pronounced a “huge technical triumph” by NASA officials by the time
Columbia landed on March 12.

Swales support included the design of new, smaller, more efficient solar
arrays that will increase Hubble’s electrical power by 20 percent. The
company, the world leader in two-phase thermal management systems, also
developed a thermal control system with both flexible and rigid heat pipes to
cool detectors for the Hubble’s Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object
Spectrometer (NICMOS). This NICMOS Cooling System (NCS) package is a state-of-
the-art cooling system expected to revive the spacecraft’s infrared
instrument, which has not worked since 1999.

In addition, Swales developed new space-tools such as the grease gun used
to lubricate door latches that previously stuck on earlier missions. Swales’
astronaut crew aids and tools have flown on all HST servicing missions.

“We congratulate NASA on its extraordinary Hubble program, and
particularly Frank Cepollina, Deputy Associate Director for HST Development,
and his team for their role in another successful servicing mission,” said Tom
Wilson, CEO of Swales Aerospace. “Not only has the resulting science been
phenomenal, but the forward thinking design incorporating orbital servicing
missions in order to periodically upgrade the telescope’s capability has been
a remarkable feature of the program.
We are certainly proud to be part of the
effort and Hubble’s ongoing success,” he added.

Swales will provide similar support for the next and possibly the last
Hubble servicing mission (SM-4) scheduled in 2004.

Founded in 1978, Swales Aerospace provides state-of-the-art engineering
solutions and spacecraft, as well as a broad range of structural and thermal
management systems, for the global satellite industry. Swales’ end-to-end
mission capabilities include spacecraft and instrument design and analysis,
fabrication, integration and testing, ground control and data collection.
Based in Beltsville, Md., Swales employs more than 900 aerospace professionals
and reported 2001 revenues of $140 million. A member of the Maryland World
Class Manufacturing Consortium, Swales can be located on the World Wide Web at
http://www.swales.com .