The Hubble Telecope?

Question

what is happening to the hubble telescope that my dad says it' sbeing brought down, or something like that?


I know it's something... is it being hit by anything soon?

Answer 1

There will be a rescue mission in May of 2008 to put in new batteries and fix the gyroscopes and guidance system. This will be a Space Shuttle mission - they are not bringing it back to Earth.

Answer 2

as far as i remember NASA is up for a final servicing mission in 2008 or 2009 to replace some components.

the mission was removed from the list after the columbia disaster, but was put back on after the science community cried loud enough fearing to loose it.

hubble is about to be replaced by the James Webb Space telescope somewhere 2015 or so. Which is more or less the expected lifespan of hubble after the servicing mission.

I actually don't know if they plan to de-orbit it and let it follow MIR space station into the pacific ocean, or lift it up into a parking-orbit where it'll stay for at least 30 years.
however its not possible to return it back to earth in a shuttle cause of its hughe weight.

Answer 3

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) wasn't meant to stay up there forever. Sooner or later, it was going to be de- commissioned.
Well, its time is coming near. From what I understand, the HST will be brought home the same way it was launched... on a Shuttle. After it's been returned home, you will get a chance to see it up close and personal at The Smithsonian Inst.
The new telescopes planned for the near future of deep- space observations are going up soon, so don't fret.

Answer 4

NASA has changed its mind AGAIN and now has another repair mission scheduled. And none too soon because lots of things have failed on it already, including gyroscopes needed to steer it. If the repair mission gets to it in time, it should operate for several more years after that.