Re: Bush cancels Hubble telescope rescue mission

From: Eric Chomko (echomko_at__at_polaris.umuc.edu)
Date: 01/26/05 

Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 16:41:20 +0000 (UTC)

gregg (saville@comcast.net) wrote:
: Eric Chomko wrote:

: > I think Mark Whittington in his article on the HST repair:
: > http://www.washingtondispatch.com/article_10682.shtml
: >
: > ...makes a very good point. If we plan to go on to the moon and Mars with
: > manned missions then we shouldn't flinch at not ding the HST repair due to
: > a risk factor. There will ALWAYS be risk.

: I don't see anyone disputing that there's risk in this mission or in Space
: travel in general.

: But some of the questions are:

: Is the risk limited to the Shuttle and it's crew, and the HST?

No, there is always risk when dealing with spaceflight.

: Is the risk worth the gain? the possible losses?

Generally, yes, but we must always strive for better safety. These same
issues came up after the Challenger disaster and yet we seemed less timid
back then.

: > Ah, so it CAN be done, but not with the shuttle. And, with a vehicle that
: > we don't have and is simply too expensive. Geez, why do I get the feeling
: > we are going backwards instead of forward with all this?

: Does it seem impossible to you that the time it would take NASA to design
: and build a vehicle, that can go from HST orbit to ISS orbit, would be so
: long that the question of saving HST is moot?

I guess that that IS the answer. IOW, a shuttle mission is the only way as
we aren't going to be able to build something from scratch to save it.

: Question:

: What is the status of the NExt Generation Space Telescope?

Check the JWST website for status. I believe that it is still a few years
away.

Eric

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: Saville

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