Imagery

From the Gallery: STS-103 Mission Specialists Steve Smith, right, and John Grunsfeld anchor themselves to Discovery's robot arm while performing maintenance tasks on the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS-103 Upgrades Hubble Space Telescope
In December 1999, Space Shuttle Discovery spent eight days in orbit on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Two teams of space walkers spent more than 24 hours conducting extravehicular activities, or EVAs, installing new equipment and performing other maintenance tasks to upgrade the space-based observatory.

The seven-member crew was commanded by Curtis Brown and piloted by Scott Kelly. Jean-Francois Clervoy was the primary robotic arm operator, and the four space walkers were Mike Foale, John Grunsfeld, Claude Nicollier and Steve Smith. Clervoy and Nicollier represented the European Space Agency.

STS-103 crewmembers Jean-Francois Clervoy and John Grunsfeld offered a peek inside their mission with the letters they wrote to home.

"Tonight we finished the preparations for tomorrow's space walks, and now I must go to sleep. Big day for me tomorrow. My first EVA, and my chance to meet the Hubble Telescope up close and personal."

John Grunsfeld, Dec. 21, 1999

	John Grunsfeld Reports: Notes from Space
	Jean-Francois Clervoy: Notes to Friends and Family