We are starting to lose Hubble, broken Imaging Spectrograph

[Kedas]

On August 3, 2004 @ 16:38 GMT (12:38 PM EDT) the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) suspended after suffering a failed command echo check between the Control Section (CS) of the STIS Main Electronics Box (MEB) and the Multi-Anode Micro-channel Array (MAMA) Control Electronics (MCE).

 

IMPACT ON PROGRAM/PROJECT AND SCHEDULE:

The STIS science program timeline was interrupted when Suspend mode was entered. The Project and Space Telescope Science Institute will cease scheduling STIS science. Alternate observations from other instruments will replace STIS observations. All other HST science instruments are functioning nominally.

 

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=13591

[Arg]

Good riddance, I say. We need something new for more advanced observations and calculations, not some antiquated dinosaur like the Hubble. The stupid thing was broken from the start! It belongs in history books and nowhere else.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

It still is quite useful. We just need to keep it up until the hugely more powerful replacement gets up.

[pulkit]

The stupid thing was broken from the start! It belongs in history books and nowhere else.

 

Given the technology involved in building it and putting it up there, you just can not call it "stupid".

[jordan]

And until we actualy put something else that's better up in space, it's the best we've got. There's no point in scrapping it altogether until a suitable replacement is ready.

[Skye]

Yes there's a point, money.

[Kedas]

I prefer to have hubble there until a replacement is ready AND active.

There are so many things that can go wrong with the new one that we could have a long 'dark period' when both are broken/down.

It's not like the hubble becomes redundant when they are both active.

 

I think that money isn't worth the risk.

[Dave]

I simply cannot believe that it's being abandoned like this. What a terrible waste.

[J'Dona]

I agree with dave completely. Hubble's done more for science than just about any other single project in history (certainly NASA project, and any in space), and the cost to extend its lifetime by a few years is only about 1% of NASA's budget. Hubble is still making new discoveries, and those few years could mean a lot. If they weren't going all safety and abandoning the planned shuttle mission...