NASA Proposes Robot Repair of Hubble

NASA proposes robot repair of Hubble

Associated Press

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Denver — NASA’s chief told the nation’s astronomers Tuesday he is optimistic that robots could repair the Hubble Space Telescope and said the space agency is seeking proposals to do just that.

The 14-year-old telescope, whose brilliant pictures from space have earned it more than a cult following, appeared to be doomed just a few months ago.

But the audience of astronomers — about 1,000 of them — erupted into applause when NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe told them NASA had just issued a request for proposals for a robotic repair mission.

The American Astronomical Society meeting where O’Keefe spoke has lobbied to keep the Hubble telescope running. So have astronauts, members of Congress and thousands of citizens.

Without repair work, NASA estimates Hubble will stop making observations by 2007 or 2008, when its batteries are expected to conk out.