NASA extends Hubble contract through 2021
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NASA has extended its contract with Lockheed Martin for the operation of the Hubble Space Telescope until June 2021.
This contract is for non-science operations. Science operations are controlled by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.
Note that when the last repair mission to Hubble took place in 2009, they expected it to add five years to the telescope’s life. This contract says they now expect it to last at least until 2021, which will also be 31 years after its launch and almost forty years since its actual construction. Not a bad track record when you think about it, especially since its original mission was set at 15 years, ending in 2005.
Please consider donating to Behind the Black, by giving either a one-time contribution or a regular subscription, as outlined in the tip jar to the right or below. Your support will allow me to continue covering science and culture as I have for the past twenty years, independent and free from any outside influence.
NASA has extended its contract with Lockheed Martin for the operation of the Hubble Space Telescope until June 2021.
This contract is for non-science operations. Science operations are controlled by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.
Note that when the last repair mission to Hubble took place in 2009, they expected it to add five years to the telescope’s life. This contract says they now expect it to last at least until 2021, which will also be 31 years after its launch and almost forty years since its actual construction. Not a bad track record when you think about it, especially since its original mission was set at 15 years, ending in 2005.
Off-topic: In Florida SpaceX rocket is exploded!
Alex–thanks– just saw that.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37247077
And yet they still can’t wait to deorbit it. It still astounds me how they can dump, how much now?, into the James Webb, a telescope that can’t see the visual spectrum of light and may not work at all, when they could launch a bigger, better and more capable optical telescope. But I’m forgetting the magic word, Pork. Maybe the Chinese will be gracious enough to lease us some time on theirs when they get it flying, along with that new space station, or was that the Russians?
As for SpaceX, all I’ve heard is that there was a fire and that no one was hurt. We need to wait for accurate information. I clicked on Nasa TV to see if they’d be talking about it, but they are covering the spacewalk today.
There’s a live feed on RT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQT3zkBQf8
Statement from SpaceX:
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/771357538738577408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Secondary Explosions at SpaceX Pad
https://youtu.be/Auv1K-ciEWg