Fix will give Hubble major boost (BBC) {WOW!!}

[eppur_se_muova]

By Paul Rincon
Science reporter, BBC News, Austin

Nasa has announced details of a challenging mission to "rescue" the Hubble Space Telescope.

Without the mission, the multi-billion dollar orbiting observatory is likely to fail in 2010 or 2011.

The upgrade will provide a massive boost to Hubble's capabilities, giving it greater sensitivity and a larger field of view.

The mission, by space shuttle Atlantis, will make Hubble 90 times more powerful than its original version.

It could also extend the telescope's lifetime by more than a decade.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7164139.stm

:wow:

[Birthmark]

1. Great news!

The pics produced by HST alone make it worth the price. The science makes it one of the all time great investments, imo.

[RuleOfNah]

2. "will make Hubble 90 times more powerful"

Thus allowing us to literally see the face of you know who, looking very upset about you know what.

:yoiks: :nopity:

[DCKit]

6. Hah!! Point it back toward earth and Washington, DC and see the pimple on his ass.

"90 times more powerful" than the original isn't 90 times more powerful than is currently is; they've already upgraded it far beyond the original. However, it's nice to see that they're not going to let it languish. No sense in boosting another ten tons up when they can send up much smaller packages of technology to enhance it's operation.

Now, can we back off the manned mission to Mars? Dumbya spent all that dough - and then some - on Iraqistan, Homeland Insecurity and tax cuts for his donors, among other things.

[frebrd]

3. K&R n/t

[sofa king]

4. Glad to see it.

Someone obviously asked NASA, "if you're not doing hard science, then what the hell are you good for?"

[roguevalley]

5. ah. this is wonderful news. I love the Hubble

[trotsky]

7. Hot damn!

Holy crap - 90 times? Incredible. It's already done so much for us and now it's going to be on steroids.