Possible Hubble repair mission

[Merc14]

The Wall Street Journal (Popular Mechanics version linked because WSJ is a subscription site) reports that te Trump administration is considering a repair mission, using the Sierra Nevada Corp. Dream Chaser (crewed version) to send parts and a repair crew to Hubble to repair and upgrade sensors.  It mission has already been extended through 2021 but there are fears it may not last that long  See article here  http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/telescopes/a25211/mission-to-service-hubble-space-telescope/?src=socialflowFB

I think it would be wonderful if they could keep Hubble operating well into the future as a back-up and compliment to the JWST.   Dream Chaser is still in testing so the timeline isn't set but maybe this could be done in the next five years or so.

[Derek Willis]

7 minutes ago, Merc14 said:

The Wall Street Journal (Popular Mechanics version linked because WSJ is a subscription site) reports that te Trump administration is considering a repair mission, using the Sierra Nevada Corp. Dream Chaser (crewed version) to send parts and a repair crew to Hubble to repair and upgrade sensors.  It mission has already been extended through 2021 but there are fears it may not last that long  See article here  http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/telescopes/a25211/mission-to-service-hubble-space-telescope/?src=socialflowFB

I think it would be wonderful if they could keep Hubble operating well into the future as a back-up and compliment to the JWST.   Dream Chaser is still in testing so the timeline isn't set but maybe this could be done in the next five years or so.

I was just reading about the James Webb telescope and saw how this is described as the "successor to the Hubble". It will be fantastic if one or more repair missions are mounted in future to keep the Hubble going. I suppose after the shuttle was retired NASA were unable to make any commitments to maintaining the Hubble. But now that the commercial launchers are coming on stream, perhaps the Hubble will be around for decades to come.

[paperdyer]

I hope they do repair it. Alos when the Hubble finally goes out of service, it's just not left up there to crash and burn with a deteriorating orbit. That just wouldn't seem right.

[Merc14]

6 hours ago, Derek Willis said:

I was just reading about the James Webb telescope and saw how this is described as the "successor to the Hubble". It will be fantastic if one or more repair missions are mounted in future to keep the Hubble going. I suppose after the shuttle was retired NASA were unable to make any commitments to maintaining the Hubble. But now that the commercial launchers are coming on stream, perhaps the Hubble will be around for decades to come.

JWST is going to be a pins and needles few months I am thinking.  A whole lot has to unroll, unfold and click into place correctly once it leaves orbit and there is no chance of repairing it.  Incredible machine though and I hope all goes well in 2018 when it is launched.

1 hour ago, paperdyer said:

I hope they do repair it. Alos when the Hubble finally goes out of service, it's just not left up there to crash and burn with a deteriorating orbit. That just wouldn't seem right.

If I remember correctly,  Hubble needed the Shuttle to nudge it back into its original orbital altitude every few years so  if nothing is done its orbit will eventually decay and it will burn up.  I know they were talking about sending a small satellite to control its reentry but it will not be staying in orbit indefinitely without assists and expected to return to earth in the mid-2020's.  Originally the hope was a shuttle would carry it back for display in a museum at the end of its original mission but they extended the mission time to well past the end of the shuttle era.  

The last repair mission, around 2009-2010  was only guaranteed to keep things in working order until 2013 or so and the astronauts reported that Hubble had degraded significantly since the last repair mission so we are lucky it is still operational in 2017.  

[geraldnewfie]

i dont think trump got any mindset on space stuff, all he is worried about is the wall, war and illegal immigrants