Post by Susieg on Aug 12, 2004 8:47:41 GMT
NASA is moving ahead with robotic mission to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, to the delight of astronomers.
"We think that's fantastic," says Bruce Margon, associate director of the Space Telescope Science Institute. Astronomers had worried that NASA might go for the cheaper option of a simple robot that could only dump the ageing Hubble into the Pacific.
If all goes well, the overhaul should extend Hubble's life five years, past the planned 2011 launch of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. Yet the cost of the mission is likely to test the depth of Hubble's support in the US Congress.
NASA associate administrator for science Al Diaz told reporters on Tuesday that projections ranged over too wide a range to quote a number. But published reports cite estimates of $1.0 billion to $1.6 billion - prices that exceed most estimates of the shuttle mission that was originally intended to service Hubble.
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Taken from an article in 'NewScientist.com news service'
Susieg
"We think that's fantastic," says Bruce Margon, associate director of the Space Telescope Science Institute. Astronomers had worried that NASA might go for the cheaper option of a simple robot that could only dump the ageing Hubble into the Pacific.
If all goes well, the overhaul should extend Hubble's life five years, past the planned 2011 launch of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. Yet the cost of the mission is likely to test the depth of Hubble's support in the US Congress.
NASA associate administrator for science Al Diaz told reporters on Tuesday that projections ranged over too wide a range to quote a number. But published reports cite estimates of $1.0 billion to $1.6 billion - prices that exceed most estimates of the shuttle mission that was originally intended to service Hubble.
----------------------------------------------------------
Taken from an article in 'NewScientist.com news service'
Susieg
