muon2
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« on: January 22, 2005, 08:16:32 PM » |
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One great feature of science is it's ability to advance its frontier by tapping into the latest and best technology. Astronomical science is no different. We have much better technologies today to use in space than there were 20 years ago as the Hubble was being designed. Many other excellent space observatories that produced astounding data have already served their mission and been deorbited. Like those, the Hubble should make way for the Webb.
The public affection for the Hubble blurs our vision for the scientific mission. I would like to see NASA really hype results from its current missions like Huygens is doing on Titan and Spitizer can do with infrared imagery. I would b best if Hubble could be left alone to produce second class results. Then, as the Webb is set to launch (around 2010) move the publics image to a new observatory replacing the beloved Hubble. Unfortunately, I don't think the Hubble can be made to last until 2010 without drawing resources from the exciting new projects underway.
Many other areas of big science have to take breaks from data collection while the instrument is upgraded. After running my current experiment (> 100 M$ with 700 collaborators) from 1992 to 1996 we shut down for 5 years and replaced old electronics with faster and more powerful circuits. We can now get data in one year that would have taken 5 before. These results were well worth the interruption in the data.
Astronomy is after all a science, not just a medium for getting cool pictures to the public. Let the Hubble go off to its well-deserved place in history.
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