An internal NASA memo has revealed that the (last) Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission has been scheduled for September 11, 2008.
I have no real comment about this, except to say that I’m glad the date has been set. At the AAS meeting from which I just returned, a lot of the cool news was from Hubble, and I spent some time talking to old friends and colleagues with whom I worked on HST. It was nice to catch up, and it’s somehow satisfying to hear an actual date set for launch. Per ardua ad aspera.
January 11th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
How many more years of useful life will that give the Hubble? Also, will it be left up there forever after it become useless? I believe it’s orbit (400 miles above he surface) will keep it from entering the earth’s atmosphere (?).
Also, any word on the Next Generation Space Telescope, anf how it will be launched (if ever)? The NGST is somewhat personal since I went to high scholl with a member of the team that’s working on it!
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Don’t use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice.
January 11th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
With updated instruments? Who knows how much more exciting science can come from Hubble.. And who knows, maybe the political climate will have changed when the new end-of-life date nears, after servicing. NASA can always change its mind and update this icon of astronomy again
January 11th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
That is good news indeed; Hubble has been probably the biggest influence in keeping astronomy in the minds of the public.
January 12th, 2007 at 6:15 am
I believe at the press conference a couple months ago, when they announced the servicing mission, that they would “de-orbit” the scope, shuffling it back on to the mortal coil, so to speak.
January 12th, 2007 at 7:29 am
“Per ardua ad aspera”: Adversity through struggle?
I would have thought “Per ardua ad astra” more appropriate…
January 31st, 2007 at 12:03 am
[...] We still have the James Webb Space Telescope to look forward to and many other instruments are still going strong on Hubble, with a planned repair mission in 2008. This baby’s not done by a long shot. [...]
January 31st, 2007 at 4:39 pm
[...] O’Keefe took an amazing amount of grief over that decision and was eventually forced out of the job, in part, over that whole issue. Now, the current NASA administrator, Michael Griffin, has made the HST repair a priority. It’s going to happen in 2008. Warm fuzzies all around. [...]