From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: HST Servicing Mission Scheduled for 11 Days
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 18

In article <1993Apr29.201036.11256@den.mmc.com> zwork@starfighter.den.mmc.com (Michael Corvin) writes:
>I expect that retrieving HST would involve 'damaging' it considerably in
>order to return it to its cradle in the cargo bay.  Most of the deployed
>items (antennas and, especially, the solar arays) probably are not
>retractable into their fully stowed position, even by hand...

No, the thing is designed to be retrievable, in a pinch.  Indeed, this
dictated a rather odd design for the solar arrays, since they had to be
retractable as well as extendable, and may thus have indirectly contributed
to the array-flapping problems.

The retrieval problems are exactly as stated:  it would be costly, would
involve extensive downtime (and the worry of someone finding a reason not
to re-launch it), and would unnecessarily expose the telescope to a lot
of mechanical stresses and possibilities for contamination.
-- 
SVR4 resembles a high-speed collision   | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
between SVR3 and SunOS.    - Dick Dunn  |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry
