Reminiscences and Reflections on Cepi David Leckrone December 1, 2016

Titan III Atlantis

John Naugle to George Low “it is technically feasible to develop this three-meter optical telescope, and ….. it can be placed in operation in the decade of the 1980’s as an essentially permanent observatory in space through the marriage of automated spacecraft technology and the unique capabilities of the shuttle transportation and maintenance systems.” John Naugle to George Low NASA Headquarters May, 1972

1975: Concept for Servicing of Large Telescopes 4

SOLAR MAXIMUM REPAIR MISSION 1984

Cepi could be a scalawag.

Cepi and his team, including Canadian partners, had been working for almost two decades to perfect procedures for servicing modular spacecraft in the Shuttle’s payload bay. When the call came to service Hubble in late 1990, they were fully prepared to take on the job.

WFPC2 AT JPL CIRCA 1993

Cepi Hates Negativity There is no problem that can’t be solved. There is no technical challenge that can’t be overcome.

HFMS and VEST in Goddard Cleanroom (“Cepi’s Sandbox” which would ultimately save SM1)

Over the years Cepi suffered through several difficult family tragedies, giving full devotion and attention to his family while persevering with full energy on his Hubble responsibilities. Launch of STS-61/SM1, December 2, 1993

Cepi’s “Crazy Ideas” Had Legs Build NICMOS so that its cryogen could be replenished in orbit. Build STIS and other instruments so that their detectors could be replaced and updated by astronauts in orbit.

Cryostat Cross Section NICMOS Cryostat Cryostat Cross Section

Optical Layout In The Optical Bench UVIS Shutter UVIS Detector SOFA UVM1 & Corrector Mechanism Cal Subsystem UVM2 IR Fold IRM1 IR Cold Enclosure/ RCP/Filters/ Detector Pickoff Mirror IRM2 & Corrector Mechanism Channel Select Mechanism October 5, 2000 Ed Cheng, NASA/GSFC, 301-286-5038

IR Detector Assembly Resides in Cold Enclosure Filter Wheel Mechanism Refractive Corrector Plate (RCP) Cold Enclosure IR Detector October 5, 2000 Ed Cheng, NASA/GSFC, 301-286-5038

Cepi Had a Hard Time Taking “No” For an Answer He was a visionary in an Agency that often lacked vision. Led to conflicts with upper management. “Every NASA field center should have a Cepi………. But only one!! Al Diaz Goddard Center Director

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly;  who errs and comes short again and again;  because there is not effort without error and shortcomings;  but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.  So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)  "Man in the Arena" Speech, given April 23, 1910

There can be no doubt that, without Cepi, there would not have been five fully successful servicing missions to Hubble. He developed over many years the tools, techniques and protocols that made in-orbit servicing viable. He was the brilliant impresario who organized and managed the HST portion of those missions. He had a rare ability to attract and lead people who were “the best of the best.” He was a dreamer who instilled the ability to dream in others.

Who Was That Masked Man?