Deep FieldThe Impossible Magnitude of our Universe

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Meet the Community: Mary Alice Rose

“I worked at Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) project during the years 1991-2002. I was hired as a software team lead and  eventually became a project manager and Deputy Division Head for 140+ engineers and scientists developing and maintaining the ground system for HST. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project.

I joined STScI about a year after launch, after the “spherical aberration” (causing blurred images) had been discovered and when there was a working theory as to what had caused the aberration and how it might be fixed. The top priority when I joined STScI was preparing for that first servicing mission two years later when astronauts rendezvoused with HST 350 miles above earth and repaired the spacecraft. I like to tell people that I was part of a very large team that fixed the Hubble Space Telescope! It was an exhilarating time to work on the project.

I also supported three other HST servicing missions during my time at STScI. And I was there when the first Hubble Deep Field images were taken and released to the public — another groundbreaking moment in HST’s history.

I learned about Eric Whitacre and the Virtual Choir just as VC3 was getting underway. I’m strictly an amateur singer, but I knew at once I had to be part of it. I’ve loved singing in live choirs over the years, and I love technology — what could be better than combining these two loves! After VC3 and VC4, I was thrilled to learn Virtual Choir 5 was inspired by Hubble Deep Field images, and I’m excited to be participating in VC5!”