SECURITY: The Hubble Space Telescope

Ok Allot of you are going to ask me what does the Hubble Space Telescope Have to do with Security? Ok well maybe its not National Security but its is PLANETARY security. Right now the HST is up there dieing almost dead. I am a Firm Be leaver that we as a people need to push our Candidates and Representatives that we Want this Modern Technological marvel SAVED.



The reason that I think that the Hubble should be saved is that not only is it a National security matter bur a planetary security matter. The Hubble is our eye in to deep space. It can see further and with more clarity than ANY earth bound telescope. and if it were to spot a NEO that could be on a Collision course with earth it could be seen HUNDREDS of years ahead of time giving the earth a fighting chance to Destroy or DEFLECT the NEO. I understand there is a fear of losing more men to space travel. BUT look how many men we have lost in our pursuit of OIL. ALLOT more than we have lost due to space travel. Astronauts WANT to fly to further or knowledge and increase security of the Planet.so this is why I think we should send manned spacecraft to Hubble to save it and give it a 21st century UPGRADE.

You are preaching to the quior on this one. i for one have advocated Regime Change at NASA and thier insistance that they have to scrap the Hubble is just on of the reasons. As far as secuirty, BTW, the Hubbels is basicaly a spy sattelite pointed up not down with a few extra toys attached

I was just wondering if either of you have any input from any of the NASA engineers as to the viability of saving the scope....it wouldn't do much good for us to over rule the folks who know, and make yet another political decision that will cost taxpayers more than it might to start from scratch and launch a new one. Also, quite often when the engineer is not consulted bad things happen.

Hmm this thing about the Hubble Space Telescope is an interesting thing. As a matter of national sercurity, I dont follow, like someone before me said, its basically a spy satalite aimed upwards. So how can this be a thing of national sercurity.

If I am not mistaken there are many ways of monitoring space from earth, which are less costy, and probally as good. Should this be true, then how can keeping a highly costly piece of kit active off taxpayers money be justified ?

Final Verdict: Until the Hubble scope can actually pull its weight for the money spent on it. Saving the project is going to be a lost cause.

Originally posted by racos
Final Verdict: Until the Hubble scope can actually pull its weight for the money spent on it. Saving the project is going to be a lost cause.

Exploration science will never "pull its weight" if you are looking at it to show a profit. However, it has expanded our understanding of the universe. You will never be able to directly profit from that kind of science. But we are not doing it for profit.

Originally posted by racos
Hmm this thing about the Hubble Space Telescope is an interesting thing. As a matter of national security, I do not follow, like someone before me said, its basically a spy satalite aimed upwards. So how can this be a thing of national security.

It is a Matter Of Planetary Security right? The Hubble has already given us a Wonderful view of space.. And given the Opportunity it could save our lives one day. I have herd from ENGINEERS that attaching backpack style booster rockets to Hubbles is fee sable to give it more moblielity. to SHOOT different parts of space Hubble has seen the edge of the universe do you not think if given the proper mobilelity Hubble could not detect every single NEO coming near earth Orbit, As far as pulling weight....I think that covers it maybe the cost of a Couple fighter jets,

OK Ok, I get the point here. No more ganging up on me here. What was posted was never meant in the sense of profit, mearly in supporting itself, via the funds brought into it. Science shouldnt be able profitering, but when large funds are poured in, should show some results ( I know it has done )

And the point about it being able to detect all NEO coming towards earth, arent there other ways in which this can be done ?

while detecting NEO can be done on earth, first it isnt, and second none of the current methods give near the range of the HST. The first step towards upping planetary security would be to up funding. Right now I believe that not even 10% of the sky is monitored by earthbased telescopes and radar systems. That needs to improve.

And the point about it being able to detect all NEO coming towards earth, arent there other ways in which this can be done ?

There are but not the way that Hubble can....Actually FROM space with ALLOT more Range and I am sure Accuracy.....With and updated Lenses Batteries and Mobility. The Hubble could be Our Greatest asset in Space Surpassing the ISS that I also think we should stay involved with for research purposes but thats a different thread altogether. In my mind the Hubble is the the Sphinx of the space age it need to be Preserved for our future no matter what the cost.

[edit on 1-9-2004 by Truth_Hunter_1976]

Originally posted by Truth_Hunter_1976
Ok Allot of you are going to ask me what does the Hubble Space Telescope Have to do with Security? Ok well maybe its not National Security but its is PLANETARY security. Right now the HST is up there dieing almost dead. I am a Firm Be leaver that we as a people need to push our Candidates and Representatives that we Want this Modern Technological marvel SAVED.

 

HST may be a usefull as a defense tool for inbound space rocks. As far as local earth shots, that would be like using a telescope as a microscope since the optics are set for a narrow field of focus on distant objects.

HST uses gyros for attitude control, as apposed to thusters since exhaust gases would interfere with the optics and sensors. The gyros will have to be serviced in the near future.

One option is to use robotic systems to fly up there and do the maints and push it a few clicks into a higher orbit.

I'm afraid that Hubble isn't as good at detecting these things as other telescopes are. Hubble (in human terms) is "farsighted" and can peer very far ahead. But it's not "nearsighted" (able to see things that are close) and therefore it's not quite as good for this purpose.

The things that we look at through Hubble are huge, not small. It's not going to do us much good from any security standpoint, but it does advance our knowledge of our universe.

I know this aint direct with the hubble telescope, but last night on BBC2 there was a documentary about NEOs and about how they move, react, etc....What was interesting about it though was how the different amounts of amature astrologies, actually help in detecting these objects.

It seems that even though like someone said, about the HTS being Longsighted, there are infact other ones that look out for the earth. It seems that with this, that HTS is actually, something that should be kept, since it could result in early detection of NEOs.