Some More Good News
Ever since NASA's chief determined that the Hubble would be left to crash to Earth in a degenerating orbit, I've wondered just how much more science they'd be able to get out of it first.
When news came that the main camera had lost power, I was pretty damn bummed at the apparent answer. Since that meteoric death-dive is still a few years off, this really is great news.
NASA revives main Hubble telescope cameraWhile the Agency has stated that they're giving serious consideration to methods of extending the space telescope's life-span in orbit, the fact remains that such a complex artifact really does have a necessarily limited mission capability. That's just the "nature" of the materials from which it's manufactured, coupled with the expenses of sending folk to maintain it and replace parts as needed.
By ALEX DOMINGUEZ, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 6 minutes ago
BALTIMORE - The main camera on the Hubble Space Telescope came back to life Friday for the first time in nearly two weeks after NASA engineers switched to a backup power system, the space agency announced.
The Advanced Camera for Surveys shut down June 19 after voltage readings exceeded the acceptable range. The switchover to the backup system began Thursday afternoon and was completed Friday morning, NASA said.
That's why I'm in complete concurrence with Ed Ruitberg's opinion and encouraged by his prognosis.
"This is the best possible news," said Ed Ruitberg, deputy associate director for the Astrophysics Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt. "We were confident we could work through the camera issue, and now we can get back to doing more incredible science with the camera."
The Hubble is useful and worth the cash - therefore, we have to dump it.
ReplyDeleteManned space flight is expensive and useless scientifically - therefore, we have to pump billions into it.
See how this works?
Oh yah! T'anks for strait'nin' me out on dat Kevin.
ReplyDeleteTho yer prob'ly gonna hafta remind me again. I AM a voter after all.
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I actually do see some great value in manned missions. But the scientific consensus is that they really are secondary to what can be accomplished, $ for $, by the unmanned variety; including the Hubble.
It sure would be nice if the politicos took their cues on Science from scientists, eh...
That IS good news. Can't do without my spacepix! They give a person hope somehow, don't they? Light up the mystery.
ReplyDeleteAnything that even smells like good news draws me to it, just as a moth is drawn to the light.
ReplyDeleteThanks for drawing me here.