Re: Lynx Spaceplane

Brian Thorn <bthorn64@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The resistance to returning Hubble was always regarding Hubble's
structure and whether it would survive landing and another launch
without a whole lot of work. Hubble's forward support struts have been
mentioned as being iffy for landing, too, after 18 years in orbit.

There's also the issue of mirror/optical path contamination.

There was also the desire to keep Hubble working as much as possible.
It can't do that on the ground waiting for a Shuttle relaunch a year
later (and hoping the schedule holds). With on-orbit servicing, Hubble
is back at work a month later at most.

Yep - they've chosen the "limp along and wait for one servicing
flight" over the "limp along and wait for one return flight and then
be offline while waiting an indeterminate amount of time for a
relaunch" path.

And that the real rub - the wait for relaunch realistically (post
Challenger) is a year _or more_.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL
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