Instead of Revamping Hubble, Replace It

Neil Halelamien writes "Astronomy Magazine reports that an international team of astronomers has proposed an alternative to sending a robotic or human repair mission to the ailing Hubble Space Telescope. Their proposal is to build a new Hubble Origins Probe, reusing the Hubble design but using lighter and more cost-effective technologies. The probe would include instruments currently waiting to be installed on Hubble, as well as a Japanese-built imager which 'will allow scientists to map the heavens more than 20 times faster than even a refurbished Hubble Space Telescope could.' It would take an estimated 65 months and under $1 billion to build, less than the estimated cost of a service mission."

Comments

Seriously, why even study the universe?

[InterruptDescriptorT]

It's very apparent that as religious nuts gain power in the United States, God Almighty as Creator will be the only thing taught to our children in public school. That means there's absolutely no need to study the stars and planets and outer space, since the formation of life on Earth (and the creation of this planet itself) was handled by some divine being.

We may as well disband NASA now and spend the one billion dollars on increasing our military might, because that's the only way the US is going to maintain its world power status in the near future. It sure won't be in the scientific field.

Actually, evolution has religious backing

[leonbrooks]

evolution is the only theory of biological diversification over time that has significant scientific backing

It's not "scientific" backing when conflicting evidence is discarded or reinterpreted to suit. Nor is it "scientific" backing when any suggestion of an alternative is shouted down, ruled out of order and used to frighten small children. That kind of support is religious support. The religion in question is Atheism.

Given that 44% of the US population do not accept evolution, and that persecution is their lot if they enter most scientific fields, is it any wonder that interest in science is flagging? The US is suffering the same fate as France after the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre and similar religious persecutions. France drove out their best and brightest and fell into a scientific and industrial malaise as a result, now the USA (most Western countries too) is beginning to do the same.

Re:Actually, evolution has religious backing

[JonathanBoyd]

Actually, if you look through Jesus' teaching, most of it was about the kingdom of God, its coming, what it would look like, how to be in it and his most repeated refrain was 'repent and believe.' His teaching very much concentrated on the need to be forgiven and turn to living a life for God. Hence the most important commandment being 'Love the LORD your God with all you heart and soul and mind and strength.' Helping others in need is a natural consequence of that, but that an end in itself or the main point.