Re: James Webb Space Telescope is a boondoggle

From: Sander Vesik (sander_at_haldjas.folklore.ee)
Date: 02/20/05 

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2005 17:29:32 +0000 (UTC)

In sci.space.policy Andrew Nowicki <andrew@nospam.com> wrote:
> The Planck spacecraft is going to be launched into the Earth-Sun
> L2 orbit where it will be cooled by refrigerators to 0.1 K!
> source: http://www.rssd.esa.int/SA/PLANCK/include/payl/node8.html
>
> This idea looks like madness to me because these extreme
> refrigerators are not reliable. They have mechanical parts
> that may be glued by contaminants.

Sure, but imagine the returns if it works? Part of science exploration
is taking risks. There are many other things that could cause the mission
to fail.

>
> SPICA is almost as ambitious. Its refrigerators are going to
> cool it to 1.7 K.
>
> So many vulnerable satellites... so few telerobots to repair them...

And nobody with money to pay for the telerobots anyways. 

-- 
	Sander
+++ Out of cheese error +++
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