'Back room' decision to cancel Hubble criticized - MSNBC

[TacticalPeek]

'Back room' decision to cancel Hubble criticized
Saving the telescope may take a miracle, astronomers worry
By Robert Roy Britt
Senior science writer

Updated: 3:28 p.m. ET March 10, 2004

BALTIMORE - A fresh salvo was fired Tuesday in the fight to save the Hubble Space Telescope. Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski accused NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe of making a unilateral decision to let the observatory die prematurely against the wishes of astronomers.

"I believe that the future of Hubble should not be by one man in a NASA back room without a transparent process," Mikulski said, adding that she will continue working to bring the "best advice possible" to bear on possibly reversing the decision.

Scientists and officials here at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which operates Hubble for NASA, applauded Mikulski for her support, yet some figure it could take a miracle for Hubble to receive a stay of execution.

more
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4497635

[MSgt213]

1. I agree with Sen Mikulski. The Hubble is too important of a tool for

to do away with. For one thing just by the recent discovery made it is obiviously too soon to just let this thing die because it has a lot of important work to do.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi MSgt213!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[MSgt213]

12. Thank you. Been off line for a couple of days. Just checking in now

[alittlelark]

2. These people dislike science that disproves their religious beliefs

The Hubble is doing just that. The entire Judeo-Christian-Islamic creation theory is being actively disapproved by The Hubble's' observations. That is highly disconcerting to many in high places.

Creationism is 'science' with the intent to PROVE a myth.

Science is observation and experimentation which result in facts, through which theories can evolve by peer evaluation.

The two are incompatible

[bobbieinok]

3. WHERE are the scientists???

this is the worst administration in history for its blatant disregard/hatred of science

it's sickening

[Atlant]

6. Well, we have one on the rack, several in Iron Maidens, and...

> WHERE are the scientists??? This is the worst administration
> in history for its blatant disregard/hatred of science.

"Well, we have one over there on the rack, several safely
tucked way in Iron Maidens, and the folks who were doing
reproductive research are currently having their "toes
done"; try to ignore that unpleasant burning smell and
screaming."

Atlant

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Moderator]

5. kick

:kick:

[Atlant]

7. Here's a related thread that was locked yesterday...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=412041&mesg_id=412041&page=

[Bridget Burke]

8. When DeLay brought O'Keefe to meet NASA employees,

A certain fear could be detected in the Houston Chronicle's coverage of the initial meetings. The NASA engineers are fairly stoic types but their reservations came through.

NASA is in DeLay's district. Would you be filled with confidence to have Tom DeLay vouch for your new boss? Would you believe his assurances that everything was going to be great?

[chelsea0011]

9. Bush wants to go to the Moon and Mars so NASA cancels Hubble

:crazy: :crazy: :wtf:

It was so odd that as soon as Bush made that worthless let's go back to the Moon and then to Mars speech that the very next day NASA announced plans to kill the Hubble program years before it was suppose to end.

It as if pencil pushers were biting at the bit to kill Hubble and jump at the chance to get billions for some pie in the sky sinkhole of a proposal.

[megatherium]

10. Reasons why the Hubble is being canceled

include the risk to astronauts (flying the dangerous shuttle) to service it. The original plan was to fetch it and put it in the Smithsonian but no one's in the mood to spend a billion dollars and risk a shuttle with its astronauts for that purpose. The James Webb telescope will be launched in a few years; this instrument will complement and extend the capabilities of the Hubble. I'm not saying I agree with NASA's decision, but it isn't illogical, and I don't think there's any conspiracy there.