NASA Urged to Reconsider Shuttle Mission to HST

LMCBoy writes "Space.com reports today that the National Academies of Science has released its recommendation to NASA on the future of the Hubble Space Telescope. They conclude that 'NASA should take no actions that would preclude a space shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.' They also say that none of the safety requirements of the CAIB report preclude a manned servicing mission to HST." Read on for more.

"The NAS recommendation would reverse NASA's previous position that a shuttle repair mission is ruled out for safety reasons. In the wake of strong criticisms of this decision, NASA has also been considering a robotic repair mission. The robotic mission would not risk human lives, but it relies on a number of bleeding-edge technologies that would have to be deployed on a very short timescale. HST's remaining gyroscopes are not expected to last beyond 2007."

Shame

[Anonymous Coward]

Would be a shame to lose Hubble. Hasn't it discovered hundreds of new plants? That's too invaluable to just let die out in space. I'm all for a robotic mission :)

Re:Shame

[kfg]

Hasn't it discovered hundreds of new plants?

No.

KFG

Re:Shame

[brianvan]

Yes, me too. I wholeheartedly support the future scientific discovery of cosmic shrubbery. /whoops

Re:Shame

[Moridineas]

Well.. maybe a few new vegetables down here!

Re:Show me the money...

[yiantsbro]

Hmmmm...an $800 million service mission so you can have pretty background images for your desktop. You sound like one of my users ;)

[OT] Your sig

[achurch]

3.1415926535897932384629

In case you're not aware: s/9$/6/

And don't ask why I know that off the top of my head . . .

HST?

[Anonymous Coward]

Fear and Loathing: in Space.

Send up Space Ship One!

[fuzzybunny]

Maybe they can pay someone like Burt Rutan...hushed silence...ten....million...dollars! to send a space ship up there to fix it.

Oh wait...