A billionaire wanted to save the Hubble Telescope — here's why NASA politely declined

[Admin]

Billionaire Jared Isaacman wanted to conduct a private Hubble Telescope reboost mission. NASA says 'not yet.'

A billionaire wanted to save the Hubble Telescope — here's why NASA politely declined : Read more

 

[Cochituate Beach]

Their concern is that the billionaire will break it and walk away? Why not figure out how to use the gear we have access to to keep Hubble working? Maybe the combination of a crew dragon and a cargo vessel together to build a work platform to support the work needed to replace the gyroscopes? Now is not the time to drop the ball on the needed repairs.

 

[Mars Tafts]

Or it could be that in 2012 the NRO transfered 2 kh-ll type telescopes to NASA with superior optics that they haven't figured out to do with yet.

https://www.americaspace.com/2012/0...revealed-by-nros-twin-telescope-gift-to-nasa/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...spare-hubbles/2012/06/05/gJQA7gdnFV_blog.html

 

[Helio]

So, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Makes sense to me.

The greater the delay time, the greater the gain in technology to do what prior missions did for the HST, especially swap with better cameras. Launch costs are coming down, as well.

I question just how much wear and tear can be found on the HST. We should ask the Voyager scientists what the age limit is.

If micrometeroids are an issue, wouldn't we see these impacts on the mirror itself? Perhaps they're there and I'm just not aware of them, admittedly.

An alternate billionaire investment might be a pyramid in downtown San Fransisco. It would look nice. [Anybody get this joke?]

 

[JeffHudson]

Given that NASA states there is still many years of useful life for Hubble to do research work, it is an easy decision to kick the can down the road until a few more gyroscopes fail. I believe the future repair crew will need at least one functioning gyroscope to enable docking.

 

[Helio]

Given that NASA states there is still many years of useful life for Hubble to do research work, it is an easy decision to kick the can down the road until a few more gyroscopes fail. I believe the future repair crew will need at least one functioning gyroscope to enable docking.

It's a little unclear in the article that there is only one reserve gyro left.

Of the original six, which were all replaced years ago, only these two are left (#4 & #6). One reportedly has 90k hours, the other has 142k hours.

From here

PS -- Welcome abord, Jeff!

 

[JeffHudson]

It's a little unclear in the article that there is only one reserve gyro left.

Of the original six, which were all replaced years ago, only these two are left (#4 & #6). One reportedly has 90k hours, the other has 142k hours.

From here

PS -- Welcome abord, Jeff!

Thanks for that welcome and link and I reread this article for clarity. I get it now. Two gyroscopes left and going to one gyroscope mode of service. It seems like it's time to decide how to go about a rescue mission but after watching Administrator Nelson testify before a few different Congressional committees last month funding is pretty hard to obtain. It's always been this way (politics) but I think congress is finally getting it that NASA's efforts return much more to the economy than the various programs cost.