Re: [APML] HST update

[Duncan Munro <dmunro@sfu.ca>]

Is is possible for the Russians to rendezvous with Hubble via a Soyuz 
mission?

2ndly it seems to me that Hubble is about the only worthwhile target 
left for the Shuttle. The ISS missions can all be done with other 
vehicles. NASA should service the Hubble with a reduced crew and then 
scrap the shuttle ASAP, IMHO.  A scaled up Soyuz, would far safer, more 
economical, and much more versatile vehicle than the shuttle. The sooner 
NASA goes down the Soyuz (IE modular disposable spacecraft) road the 
sooner NASA will actually start going somewhere, but I digress...

Duncan Munro

Greg Hartke wrote:

>For those interested, I checked with one of my friends at STScI today to see
>if there was any news. Here's his report.
>
>Greg Hartke
>Sykesville, MD
>
>Just got out of an all-hands meeting, where Sen. Milkulski gave a talk.
>Mikulski gave mostly a pep talk.  She basically just explained how she got
>O'Keefe to agree to ask Admiral Gehman to review the cancellation decision,
>but warned that she did not want to raise any false hopes.  The Institute
>has a group that is assigned the task of extending the mission without SM4.
>Most of the ideas involve the two-gyro control system now being developed.
>The system would unavoidably limit the type of observations that could be
>done.  The possibility of actually going to two-gyro mode early to save a
>good gyro is on the table.  The other problem is the batteries.  They are
>getting old, and probably place the real limitation on the life of HST.
>Unlike the geosynchronous International Ultraviolet Explorer that I worked
>on, Hubble goes through shadow during every orbit.  Scenarios for cycling
>various instruments are being considered, even to the point of taking
>exposures only in sunlight.
>
>There have also been ideas about how to service Hubble without the shuttle.
>Frankly, most of them are not technically likely as even the Institute
>people recognize.  They involve either a robotic servicing mission or
>changing the HST orbit so that it is similar to the Space Station's orbit.
>The mission would be an extremely sophisticated one for a robot to perform,
>and an out of plane orbit change is very difficult to do.  Both options
>would be expensive.  Most of the effort is therefore going into getting NASA
>to reconsider its decision on SM4 or planning to survive as long as possible
>without it.
>
>The Institute Director circulated ESA's Director of Science Programs
>statement on the SM4 cancellation.  Apparently there have been some
>anti-American statements made over there.  The ESA statement though is a
>very reasonable and moderate one, and basically acknowledges that since NASA
>flies the manned vehicle, NASA gets to make the call.
>
>
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>  
>


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