capcom, we have a go for release. narrator: it may be the boldest experiment ever undertaken in astronomy... (cheering) ...with a legacy that will endure for centuries. woman: you have been awarded the nobel prize in physics. matt mountain: the hubble space telescope is probably the most scientifically productive instrument in history. narrator: this single tool-- the hubble space telescope-- has revealed the size and age of the universe, the birthplace of stars, and the existence of black holes. it's helped us find planets like our own in far-off solar systems and a mysterious force-- dark energy-- that makes up about 70% of the universe. amber straughn: the hubble space telescope has completely changed the way that we as scientists understand the universe. narrator: the story of hubble is a story of discovery. it's also the story of one of the biggest blunders in the history of science. sandra faber: this is the moment we find out that we are doomed to failure. is it possible that you could bring the telescope back?