Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Jan 22, 2005 4:35:39 GMT -6
White House Cuts Hubble Servicing Mission from 2006 Budget Request
Well, we knew it was gonna happen with the present mind set at the White house. The go-ahead has been given to scuttle the Hubble and sent it tumbling into the pacific.
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WASHINGTON – The White House has eliminated funding for a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope from its 2006 budget request and directed NASA to focus solely on de-orbiting the popular spacecraft at the end of its life, according to government and industry sources.
NASA is debating when and how to announce the change of plans. Sources told Space News that outgoing NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe likely will make the announcement Feb. 7 during the public presentation of the U.S. space agency’s 2006 budget request.
That budget request, according to government and industry sources, will not include any money for Hubble servicing but will include some money for a mission to attach a propulsion module to Hubble needed to safely de-orbit the spacecraft with a controlled re-entry into the Pacific Ocean. NASA would not need to launch such a mission before the end of the decade to guide the massive telescope safely into the ocean.
More here at Space.com: www.space.com/news/hubble_budget_050121.html
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How in the hell can anyone with a good conscience, send the Hubble to a fiery death?
On the Coast to Coast radio show this morning, Phil Platt - "The Bad Astronomer" has the same opinion as I do regarding NASA and the weak Lilli-livered and spineless people they now have over there. We need the likes of people from the 60' & 70's, who have a love of space and not play "please the man" politics. I wouldn't feel as bad if we had the next generation of Space telescope ready to take it's place, but this plan is so myopic and is clearly the thinking of fools & incompetents.
What is costs us in a scant few days in Iraq, we could either repair the Hubble or create a bigger & better space Telescope. The Government wants to blind us.
This is so wrong...and ignorant. But the American public has recently said what it wants at the voting booth.