Hubble's troubles

Panel blames lack of communication, cites strong parallel to Challenger blast

WASHINGTON - Technicians suspected a problem in the manufacture of the Hubble Space Telescope's main mirror but never told anyone, and the $1.5 billion instrument was launched with a blurred view of the universe, investigators said Tuesday.

The manufacturer, Perkin-Elmer, did not assign its best people to telescope construction and "there was a surprising lack of participation by optical experts with experience in the manufacture of large telescopes," the investigators' final report said. Portions of the report had been leaked earlier.

"There were at least three cases where there was clear evidence that a problem was developing and it was missed all three times," said Dr. Lew Allen, director of the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., who directed the study.

The report said the management structure at Perkin-Elmer - now Hughes Danbury Optical Systems - raised "a strong block" against communication between people doing hands-on work and higher-level experts. The investigation of the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger cited a similar problem.

The telescope, launched last April from the shuttle Discovery, cannot be focused properly because its 94.5-inch-diameter primary mirror is too flat in the center.

Allen said blame belonged equally to Perkin-Elmer and to NASA.

But, he added, "It is fundamentally NASA's responsibility as a government agency to get this done; NASA should have been aware of what was happening at Perkin-Elmer."

He said one change resulting from the Challenger accident investigation is that methods for better communications are in place at NASA and among its contractors. The Hubble telescope was built 10 years ago.

The Hubble report suggests that NASA now has evidence to sue Perkin-Elmer for breach of contract.