"Steven Litvintchouk" wrote in message
ink.net...


Winston Smith, American Patriot wrote:

(astroman) wrote in inimitable style:


January 29, 2004
NASA to Review Plan to Phase Out Hubble
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


[.....]


O'Keefe had defended his decision earlier this month to cancel all
space shuttle missions to the Hubble, which has revolutionized the
study of astronomy with its striking images of the universe. He had
cited the risk to the astronauts on a Hubble mission and President
Bush's plans to send humans to the moon, Mars and beyond as the reason
for NASA's change of focus.


As much effort as it took to get the Hubble working correctly and as
many
spectacular results it has yielded, this is an investment worth keeping.

Not possible.

Not true.

IIRC, the new safety rules for the Space Shuttle stipulate that it can
only be flown in orbits that permit an emergency rendezvous with the
International Space Station.

The CAIB passed no laws. It made recommendations.
Any of which can be waived by O'keefe should he change his mind.


To rendezvous with the Hubble, the shuttle would be in an orbit that
precludes rendezvous with the Space Station.

That is not a problem.


The fact that the Shuttle can now only be flown in orbits compatible
with the Space Station makes it even more worthless than it was before.

It was not useless before. Just too expensive.