Hubble Marching orders

Rand Simberg wrote:

How about letting the Russians salvage it with our blessing and
cooperation as long as we can pay-per-view use it?

They have no capability to do that.

Well that is obviously false.

No, it's quite true.

They can get a large spacecraft into
orbit more reliably than we can at this point in time, and the big
issue with Hubble is her orbit is decaying. If they can get a large
spacecraft to join up with Hubble they can boost her into a higher
orbit.

They can't.

I can agree that the cost of the mission might not generate enough
revenue for the Russians to be wiling to do that, but not have the
capability? Get a grip dude!

I've got a grip, thanks.

Hubble is in a 28.5 degree inclination orbit. The Russians have no
launch systems or pads capable of getting humans to that orbit.
That's why the ISS is at 51.6 degrees. They also don't have any
"large spacecraft" capable of safely docking to Hubble...

What about the Progress re-boost modules used for the ISS? You wouldn't
need the full boost for the much lighter Hubble, and so could use some of
the fuel to change the orbit to match Hubble.

Obviously you'd need some way of accurately attaching to the end of Hubble
and aligning the combination before firing. Obviously it's not easy nor
likely.

But I don't think it's as impossible as you think.
--
Malcolm Street
Canberra, Australia
The nation's capital