Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

A Way to Save Hubble?

Posted by timothy on from the whose-money-is-the-question dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The maintenance flight to give the Hubble Space Telescope a few more years has been cancelled, even though everyone agrees that HST does good work. But this article offers a way to save the space telescope, and to give those who think the space program should be privatized a way to prove they can do it."

5 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. At least.. by herrvinny · · Score: 5, Interesting

    At least we should boost Hubble to higher orbit, so when NASA gets additional funding, it can try again to bring it down. Putting it in a museum somewhere would really be a inspiration to many children to go into science.

    1. Re:At least.. by barawn · · Score: 3, Interesting


      At least we should boost Hubble to higher orbit, so when NASA gets additional funding, it can try again to bring it down. Putting it in a museum somewhere would really be a inspiration to many children to go into science.

      C'mon, that's crazy. It's like suggesting we should've brought Mir down in pieces in a shuttle or something. Hubble's an old space telescope, and we've thrown many old space telescopes away.

      You could build a replica for a fraction of the cost that it would take to bring it down. That'd be good enough for inspirational purposes.

      The only reason that people are averse to doing it now is because somehow "Hubble" got a lot of public support, but it really doesn't deserve it. It's just an old telescope. Sure, it does good science - but so does any instrument if there are people operating it. The point is "is it worth spending money on something when that money could be better spent on a better replacement?" and the answer to that is "no".

      NASA never should have let Hubble get into the public's eye this much. The pretty pictures can come from pretty much any other telescope (Spitzer put out a few nice ones over the weekend) - there's no reason to keep fawning over Hubble.

  2. the obvious solution by WormholeFiend · · Score: 3, Interesting

    we have roughly 3 years before the HST becomes unusable.

    also, the construction of the ISS, IIRC, is not "complete" yet.

    wouldnt it be obvious to build another, better Hubble-like telescope and attach it to the ISS instead of some other planned component, or if the ISS vibrates too much, maybe have it tethered?

    the ISS has permanent people on board to fix, or at least to do in situ assessments, should any problem arise.

    plus the Progress can provide supplies if parts are needed.

    could a ISS-based telescope be built in 3 years?

  3. Retro Space Taxi by stuffduff · · Score: 3, Interesting

    NASA says no shuttle flights to anywhere but the ISS for safety reasons. What about using a shuttle flight to take one of the existing space vehicles to serve as a space taxi to carry astronauts and material to and from the Hubble. Take a modified Gemini capsule, (it was made for testing orbital rendevous and docking procedures) give it a modified support module to carry the fuel and spare parts for doing the orbital adjustments and let them 'taxi' over to the Hubble when the orbital mechanics are favorible, accomplish the support mission and catch up to the ISS on the way back. While it is rocket science; it is with small modifications that can be made to previously proven vehicles; not a multi billion dollar idea. If they can't make it back they can always reenter the old fashioned way. If they do make it back then we have a relatively inexpensive space taxi for future use. Hell, you could fit 2 Gemini capsules and service modules in the shuttle cargo bay and have room left over!

    --
    "Can there be a Klein bottle that is an efficient and effective beer pitcher?"
  4. Re:Typical and misguided by geoswan · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Shuttle mission cost half a billion dollars in the past. How much would it cost to build a robot to do the simplest things to extend Hubbles life?

    What exactly would Hubble need to keep working? Boosting to a higher orbit, because its current orbit is decaying? And Hubble's gyroscopes are wearing out, and will need replacing.

    So, how expensive would it be to build a robot that gently grabbed ahold of Hubble, gently boosted it to a higher orbit?

    Would it be possible for a robot like this to use its own gyroscopes to keep Hubble stable?

    Yes, I know there are also new lense modules, and similar, but they would require an astronaut to install them. Well, maybe they can wait until the safer replacement for Hubble is ready.

    Could the robot have enough fuel to move Hubble to orbit next to the ISS?

    There is supposed to be a replacement for Hubble, that may be ready in ten years or so. But it might not be ready. And it might not work. Hubble works. Maybe they should keep Hubble until they know the replacement works...