Adminstration has decided NOT to fund repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope. this will leave scientific community w/out a space telescope until the Webb telescope comes out in the mid 2010's.
2006-09-17 13:41:51 · 4 answers · asked by star 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Even without Hubble, there are still the three other "Great Observatories" telescopes in orbit: the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer space telescope (infrared). These three are possibly more important than Hubble because they work in wavelengths unavailable to ground based telescopes. The Hubble will certainly be missed, but ground-based telescopes have grown considerably in capability since Hubble was first launched, and can now exceed Hubble's resolution by using adaptive optics.
The current policy favors manned space missions over pure science. I have mixed feelings over this. Intellectually, I think the science is more important, but there is a powerful appeal to the idea of space travel that is impossible to deny.
2006-09-17 17:59:01 · answer #1 · answered by injanier 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Close call. Much of what Hubble can do has been done. If the money is going to other space projects, it's probably a good call.
I have no reason to believe my opinion is worth anywhere near as much as the guys who made this decision.
2006-09-17 23:20:24 · answer #2 · answered by Bob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as the required funding was not too horrendous I would support fixing the telescope. Four years may be a blink of the eye to the universe but every day we study is a step forward for our world.
2006-09-17 20:46:58 · answer #3 · answered by Pham 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the number of planet killers out there that haven't been detected, it would seem we wouldn't have a choice, money or no money.
2006-09-17 21:45:39 · answer #4 · answered by Its not me Its u 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋