White House cuts entire hubble budget, plans destruction

[P_Rog]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6853009/

 

Now they've done it....

[Ophiolite]

Where is JFK when you need him? America needs a President with vision, not a man who has visions.

I apologise if that remark offends anyone - I would rather not bring politics into a science thread, but the budget cut is a political act.

When I was twelve years old I watched a news broadcast on the BBC of Kennedy making his speech at Rice University. "We choose to go to the moon in this decade, and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

It was inspiring stuff for a young kid who already had a keen interest in dinosaurs, and planets, and aircraft. I spent the next eight years following the space program in detail. There was a time when I could have named for you each of the fifty NASA astronauts, their rank, details of flights they had made or were training for. I'd memorised the positions of every switch and dial on the Mercury capsule from a fold out in National Geographic.

When the moon landing took place I was about to enter my final year of a geology degree, a route I had taken in no small measure because of my fascination with space. That America had set itself an ambitious goal, galvanised their industry and their scientists, and achieved that goal, despite setbacks along the way, I found to be truly remarkable. It generated a depth of admiration for America, Americans and the American way, that is difficult to fully describe.

I hope you will excuse this personal exposition, but this cutting of the Hubble budget just seems so symptomatic of the way in which my favourite nation has lost its way. It's sad, not of itself, but for what it says about loss of vision, loss of dreams. Loss of soul.

[Martin]

Where is JFK when you need him? America needs a President with vision' date=' not a man who has visions.

I apologise if that remark offends anyone - I would rather not bring politics into a science thread, but the budget cut is a political act.

When I was twelve years old I watched a news broadcast on the BBC of Kennedy making his speech at Rice University. "We choose to go to the moon in this decade, and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

...[/quote']

 

that was a good speech.

 

there is a documentary movie called "for all mankind" which begins with that speech (and takes its title from a line in the speech) it is a fairly honest documentary because it is made by editing together live unrehearsed Apollo "home movies" and the sound track uses a lot of actual on-site taped stuff.

I love that movie. It is worth renting at the video rental. I actually own a copy. It is not long either. And there is no BS narrator telling you what is happening, you just see it happen.

 

========

loss of soul.

 

yes.

 

it is very strange to live here now. it feels like a different country from the one I grew up in.

 

Fascism with a sanctimonious Christian face

undermining the social contract, transfering wealth to the rich and power to the private corporation as fast as it can, destroying global institutions and inflaming hatred in the Arab street.

 

the self-righteous Lie that has taken control of us is so harmful and so dangerous that one can scarcely begin to describe it for fear of seeming the paranoid kook

 

I really liked Howard Dean and worked for his nomination and went door to door, but he did not win a single state

 

But Ophi, Bush terminating Hubble Telescope is minor beside what he is doing to the country, the world community, and the planet.

I cant adjust my sense of proportion fast enough to connect the two.

I also think he cut NSF budget (NSF is the main funding for science outside the military and DOE) but he did not cut DOE. Actually I am not very well informed about the latest on science policy. I kind of stopped watching the news and let all my subscriptions die a while ago. I am happier being out of touch.

[[Tycho?]]

Damn it...

[ed84c]

will we have a new telescope to replace it?

[P_Rog]

Apparently they plan to replace the hubble with the 'James Webb Space Telescope.' It won't be launched till 2011 though. This project is budgeted at $825 million, while the hubble fix up would be close to $2 billion.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3217961/

 

I still think it's a mistake.

[Molotov]

The James Web is infrared only. There is no planned telescope, ground or space based, that will exceed the hubble's capabilities. It is indeed a sad day.

[Verusamore]

Couldn't we just sell Hubble to the ESA after repairs for the price spent on repairing ?

The hubble has achieved many things in the pursuit of science , I think at least give it an opportunity for ESA to carry on it's valuable work .

[Ophiolite]

But Ophi' date=' Bush terminating Hubble Telescope is minor beside what he is doing to the country, the world community, and the planet.

I cant adjust my sense of proportion fast enough to connect the two.

[/quote']

I understand. Its just that this one touched a personal nerve. As I said, it was symptomatic.

[Martin]

I found more about it at Sean Carroll's blog "Preposterous Universe"

 

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/hubble_reaction_050121.html

 

http://preposterousuniverse.blogspot.com/

 

a National Academy of Sciences study recommended a service mission and continued operation

 

http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309095301?OpenDocument

[Molotov]

Fight begins once again for hubbles life.

http://www.space.com/news/hubble_wars_050124.html

 

Found this in my email today.

https://www.slooh.com/savethehubble/contribute.jsp

[us.2u]

Can't the Esa,Isa & any other space agency all join together & share the expenses? surely that would be a finacial saviour for the States & a miracle for future science exploration......

[ed84c]

I doubt the ESA would have the interest for a $2 bn investment, in one thing.

Remember we europeans are stingy

[5614]

the whole world uses the images from the hubble, i think the least the 'whole world' can do is contribute to keep it up there.

 

it'll be sad to lose it, maybe a new better one will come... i (or we) can hope!

[us.2u]

I agree with you 5614 pherhaps all of us around the world interested in science should donate...sorry to hear about your brekkie try snow flakes....