
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 26, 1990                   TAG: 9004260292
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short

TELESCOPE FINALLY ON ITS OWN/ RELEASE DELAYED, BUT SYSTEMS WORK

After a tense tussle with a stubborn solar power wing, the astronauts of the space shuttle Discovery succeeded Wednesday in giving astronomers what they had waited years for: placement of the Hubble Space Telescope in a high orbit for the loftiest view ever of the universe.

The $1.5 billion instrument was released from the shuttle's cargo bay at 3:38 p.m. EDT, more than an hour and a half late.

NASA flight engineers reported that all the telescope's systems appeared to be functioning normally.

They plan Friday to send commands opening the 10-foot-wide aluminum aperture door, letting in light for the first time on the finely polished 94.5-inch mirror.

"The bottom line is that we overcame a problem and successfully deployed," said Fred Wojtalik, the Hubble project manager at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "We've had a tremendously successful two days."

For the next two days, the Discovery will fly in formation with the telescope, trailing it by about 45 miles, while ground controllers make sure the Hubble is fit to be left on its own.

If the aperture door should jam, for example, space-walking astronauts could pry it open. If greater troubles arise, the telescope could be brought back to Earth.

by CNB