NASA Poised To Focus Hubble Work on Deorbit

摘要

A preliminary design review of the proposed robotic mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope did nothing to convince NASA to go forward with that option for refurbishing the popular spacecraft and installing two new instruments. A NASA official said the agency still is moving forward with plans to conduct a so-called deorbit mission, deployment of a robotic spacecraft that would be used to equip Hubble so it can be guided into the ocean when the agency decides to retire it. NASA Administrator Sean O'-Keefe promised in 2004 to study the possibility of robotic servicing mission to Hubble after members of Congress and the scientific community complained bitterly about his decision to cancel a planned space shuttle mission to refurbish the popular space telescope.