NASA to start planning for shuttle Hubble mission
Posted: Sun, May 1, 2005, 11:38 AM ET (1538 GMT)
NASA administrator Michael Griffin said Friday that he has directed engineers at the space agency to begin preparations for the restoration of a shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, although a final decision on such a mission has yet to be made. Griffin said that he asked engineers to start work now because of the limited time available to mount such a mission before the telescope falls into irreparable disrepair around 2008. Griffin previously said that he would wait until the shuttle returned to flight before studying the issue, but said Friday the delay in the launch of STS-114 from May to July required him to start those preparations now. Griffin's predecessor, Sean O'Keefe, canceled the SM4 servicing mission in January 2004 after agency officials concluded that such a mission would be too risky in the wake of the Columbia accident. That decision has been sharply criticized by scientists and members of Congress, who have lobbied NASA to restore the mission or find another option to keep the 15-year-old telescope in operation.
NASA administrator Michael Griffin said Friday that he has directed engineers at the space agency to begin preparations for the restoration of a shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, although a final decision on such a mission has yet to be made. Griffin said that he asked engineers to start work now because of the limited time available to mount such a mission before the telescope falls into irreparable disrepair around 2008. Griffin previously said that he would wait until the shuttle returned to flight before studying the issue, but said Friday the delay in the launch of STS-114 from May to July required him to start those preparations now. Griffin's predecessor, Sean O'Keefe, canceled the SM4 servicing mission in January 2004 after agency officials concluded that such a mission would be too risky in the wake of the Columbia accident. That decision has been sharply criticized by scientists and members of Congress, who have lobbied NASA to restore the mission or find another option to keep the 15-year-old telescope in operation.| <<previous article | next article>> |
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SpaceX sets Nov. 18 launch date for sixth Starship test flight
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Saturday, November 23
DirecTV Abandons Deal to Acquire Dish Amid Bondholder Opposition
Hollywood Reporter — 2:16 am ET (0716 GMT) DirecTV Ditches Dish Deal
Variety — 2:16 am ET (0716 GMT) DirecTV calling off Dish Network takeover after bondholders balk
Los Angeles Times — 2:15 am ET (0715 GMT) DirecTV terminates Dish deal over failed debt swap
Reuters — 2:14 am ET (0714 GMT) DirecTV announces termination of deal to buy Dish satellite business
Ars Technica — 2:13 am ET (0713 GMT) |
