AAS backs shuttle Hubble repair mission
Posted: Wed, Jan 19, 2005, 6:59 AM ET (1159 GMT)
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), a professional astronomy organization, announced Tuesday that it backs a report released last month that concluded that a shuttle mission was the only viable option for repairing the Hubble Space Telescope. AAS officials, calling Hubble "the most productive telescope since Galileo's", said that the telescope's life should be extended, and concurred with the recommendation of the National Research Council that a shuttle mission was more likely to succeed than a robotic mission. NASA cancelled plans for a final shuttle servicing mission a year ago, but after an outcry from astronomers, politicians, and the general public, announced plans to develop a robotic servicing mission. That plan, in turn, has been criticized by those who feel the mission is too complex and may not be ready to fly until Hubble irreparably fails. The AAS, with a membership of 6,500, represents the vast majority of professional astronomers in the US.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), a professional astronomy organization, announced Tuesday that it backs a report released last month that concluded that a shuttle mission was the only viable option for repairing the Hubble Space Telescope. AAS officials, calling Hubble "the most productive telescope since Galileo's", said that the telescope's life should be extended, and concurred with the recommendation of the National Research Council that a shuttle mission was more likely to succeed than a robotic mission. NASA cancelled plans for a final shuttle servicing mission a year ago, but after an outcry from astronomers, politicians, and the general public, announced plans to develop a robotic servicing mission. That plan, in turn, has been criticized by those who feel the mission is too complex and may not be ready to fly until Hubble irreparably fails. The AAS, with a membership of 6,500, represents the vast majority of professional astronomers in the US.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
FAA restricts hours for commercial launches during shutdown
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 9:05 AM ET (1405 GMT) China postpones Shenzhou-20 return on orbital debris concerns
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 8:58 AM ET (1358 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, November 13
Firefly Aerospace identifies cause of Alpha test anomaly
NasaSpaceFlight.com — 4:12 am ET (0912 GMT) Firefly Plans Alpha Pad Return For Lockheed Martin Demo By Early 2026
Aviation Week — 4:12 am ET (0912 GMT) Alpha launch expectations lift Firefly despite Q3 losses
Austin (TX) American-Statesman — 4:11 am ET (0911 GMT) The Bright Side: Scientists witness supernova's early stages for the first time
France 24 — 4:09 am ET (0909 GMT) France steps into the space race
Defence24 — 4:06 am ET (0906 GMT) |
