Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!sun-barr!newstop!sun!aeras!tneale
From: tneale@aeras.UUCP (Tom Neale)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Hubble Space Telescope
Keywords: HST
Message-ID: <355@aeras.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jul 89 01:11:54 GMT
References: <351@aeras.UUCP> <2983@helios.ee.lbl.gov>
Reply-To: tneale@aeras.UUCP (Tom Neale)
Organization: Arix Corporation, San Jose, CA.
Lines: 19

In article <2983@helios.ee.lbl.gov> envbvs@epb2.lbl.gov (Brian V. Smith) writes:

>Several years back (1966) some engineers at Perkin Elmer dropped a 
>$1 million mirror destined for some satellite.  NASA is trying to be very
>careful this time. 

I'm not sure but I think that the mirror in the HST is actually the
backup mirror.  I believe that the first one was destroyed during the 
polishing operation when the diamond polishing tool broke and the 
automatic machine kept lowering the supporting arm until it gouged the
surface of the mirror.

Now, this could be one of those myths that gets propagated by word
of mouth despite its lack of factual basis.  Anyone know for sure?
-- 
Blue skies,	| ...sun!aeras!tneale	| 
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