As a teenager I subscribed to Astronomy magazine and built a 4.25” reflector from their plans. Finished optics from Edmund Scientific (iirc) in a plywood “tube” on a mount made from threaded plumbing fixtures. It. Was. Awesome!! Then bought a Meade 6” reflector. Could never get its drive to work for photography, but the views, wow. Of course I lusted after a Celestron 8 or 14. But, for a rural teen in the 1970s, buying one of those would have been like buying a Maserati. Why not just scoop up Mt Palomar while we’re at it.

Still. Good (nerdy) times.

“The government should fund a program…”

With no intent to pile on, I agree with RZ.

Government doesn’t earn income, it taxes. Supposedly legal theft.

Musk is demonstrating that the private sector is far more capable than the Gov.

G’ter done!

MDN: Why are you asking the taxpayer to pay for this, something YOU want?

I think it is high time for people to fund their own projects. I don’t think it would be impossible to raise the money from interested astronomers, universities, and philanthropists for putting many of these small optical telescopes into orbit.

Just imagine the possibilities to coordinate an instant response to image transient cosmic events anywhere on the. celestial sphere, coordinating simultaneous multi-sensor imaging, use for anywhere/anytime terrestrial observation, continuous monitoring of new supernova discoveries to track for short term variability, etc., etc., etc.

If they coordinated with SpaceX to deploy one of these with every 100 StarLinks you’d have a constellation of some 300 with who knows how many new and interesting instruments by the end of the decade.

Good, easy to use telescope products. Durable, low maintenance.

Back in ’85, they offered me a job. I chose the planetarium director job offer instead. I will always appreciate their willingness.

Me, me, me. It’s always about me.

The Last Optimist: There is no law preventing an astronomy club from doing this. The paperwork would be a pain, but American citizens are still supposed to be free. You pay for the flight, build the satellite/telescope, and you will fly.

There are also no rules on what you can look at in space. Private companies are doing it all the time, looking down at the Earth for any number of reasons, and making money providing that data to commercial and government interests.

Finally we will be able to compare 1 for 1 a ground based system and a space based system. for optical clarity.

If the private sector can make this space capable for cheap then the old traditional companies will lose even more work.

Imagine if a few of these are placed in orbit every year and then rented out for real cheap.