"Jorge R. Frank" wrote:
That is not to say that it's impossible to develop an automated system to
rendezvous and capture a non-cooperative, inert, and (by 2007-08) possibly
slowly tumbling target. But the challenge of developing such a system will,
IMO, be greater than that of getting the ion propulsion to work.

But the simplest and perhaps cheapest solution remains flying Shuttle to
Hubble twice. Once to outyfit it with the hardware that is ready to give it
new set of eyes, and a final one to bring hubble down.

All done with existing technology that was designed exactly just for that, and
only requires that some procedural books be updated to include the examination
and repairs that CAIB has told NASA it had to develop anyways.

And until there is real and realistic functing for some mythical CEV, everyone
should assume shuttle continues to fly beyond 2010. I think 2015 is more realistic.