RIP Hubble?

[KRSESQ]

The good doctor gets 5 points.

Kevin

[Dr Mordrid]

Thanks

Also of interest: the James Web Space Telescope will actually cost LESS than a Hubble service mission and will be launched at no risk to any astronauts.

It and a bunch of recent and near-future smaller and/or single-purpose instruments (ex: the Swift X-ray telescope) can do the same jobs as an "improved" Hubble even better for a much lower cost.

New long-term instruments can also take advantage of such improvements as using ion maneuvering engines & thrusters instead of chemical ones, meaning a few kilograms of fuel could last decades instead of having to be resupplied every few years as in the HST.

Other improvements such as Remote Agent (a self-repair system that uses artificial intelligence) could also improve on the HST reliability record.

Dr. Mordrid