Focusing trouble hits new Hubble camera

17 Jun 2002

A $105 million infrared camera fitted to the Hubble Space Telescope by astronauts last month was suffering focusing problems and may have a shorter lifetime thanexpected, NASA said Wednesday. A block of frozen nitrogen, used to cool the new instrument to -355 degrees Fahrenheit, was thawing faster than expected, causingthe problems, NASA said in a news release. The nitrogen was supposed to chill the cameras for about four and a half years, but the supply could be exhausted in halfthat time. The instrument's chief scientist said the two working infrared cameras were returning excellent images.