I like the Hubble Telescope
but the repair mission will keep it alive until 2013, and it costs $900 million. I'm thinking we take that $900 million and, oh I don't know, maybe build a new telescope.
Is that really a terrible idea?
Is that really a terrible idea?
posted by Kid Handsome at 12:03 PM
3 Comments:
I don't think it is a bad idea. I think of Hubble as an old friend that you really don't want to loose. It would be interesting to see what the cost of a new Hubble-type telescope would be. Maybe it is way more than we think.
One of the main problems with repairing the Hubble is danger of space walks and manned space travel in general compared to the Hubble's diminishing research returns (I'm not going to lie, I haven't read the linked article... maybe they talked about this).
Basically the Hubble is all very political. There are better (radio wave) telescopes out there now and as well as those being planned. In addition, after the last space shuttle went boom people seriously considered cutting manned space travel all together. Someone has got to be out there fixing the damn thing.
The thing about the Hubble is it gives us really pretty pictures (not necessarily the most scientific pretty pictures, but really pretty pictures). The other thing is that if Bush wants it retired, a whole butt tonne of people wanna keep it....
my $0.02
Otter
Apparently, the original was over budget and cost about 2 billion. I still think that we can come pretty close to those numbers ($900 mil) and create a pretty good optical telescope.
Certainly something that will be less dangerous to our astronaughts and last longer than 6 or seven more years.
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