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Saving Hubble
tassii writes "In this article on Space.com, Hubble Space Telescope operators plan to ask Russia for help in keeping the observatory alive and will even consider accepting private donations, which have already been offered. The upgrades are already built, waiting for installation. The Wide Field Camera 3 and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph cost a combined $167 million and will provide unprecedented peeks into the formation of the cosmos, astronomers say. Maybe there is still some hope for the Hubble."
Long-baseline parallax observations of stars for more precise mapping of the local spiral arm, for one.
Possibly long-baseline infereometry, for two (although it might not work in this instance--I'm not so savvy here).
Danke tres mucho, tovarishch.
It's a nice peice of equipment, but it's not going to last for decades to come.
Parts are wearing out (two of the 6 gyros have already failed - and that's AFTER some of them have been replaced on shuttle missions), and it actually uses consumables (like orientation thruster propellant), so it always HAD a limited lifespan. In fact - it's projected life span is just about up.
There WERE plans to capture it, bring it home, 'refurbish' it, and redeploy, but the shuttle is required for this. It looks like Hubble will limp along for a little, but it's not expected to survive past 2007.
In fact, NASA has been planning on replacing it for decades - that was always the original plan. I don't know how much the James Webb Space Telescope has been affected by the shake up in NASA, but it's been meant to replace the HST for a while now.
The James Webb Space Telescope is destined to go up in 2011.. so its not like losing hubble (eventually) will be the end of the great astrophysical observatories.
The problem with Hubble is its size.. if it comes back into the atmosphere in a de-orbit, the mirror and the titanium ring holding it will probably make it to terra firma in pretty much one piece.
I _REALLY_ dont want that landing on my house!
At the very least, they need to keep nudging the sucker.. or put a controllable burn-pod on it so they can bump it up remotely, rather than doing the catch and release job they have been with teh Shuttles.
The main reason.. according to a couple of sites I read.. is if something fails on the shuttle while it as at the ISS, they can get home in the "lifeboat". If it fails while they are at Hubble, they are skrewed.
man..can you imagine if cars, or trains, or airplanes were held to the same safety measures as NASA is now holding itself to?
You wouldnt be allowed to leave the house without a bubble on.
Maeryk
Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?