The Hubble Space Telescope might be getting its sixth repair. It has been around for 27 years is getting another repair.
Wall Street Journal has reported that Trump advisers have been proposing to President Donald Trump to send off a manned spacecraft to repair and improve the Hubble Space Telescope. If approved, the mend will happen within few years. Trump's senior aides are still in discussion about the matter.
According to Extreme Tech, Hubble Space Telescope has been orbiting the Earth for 27 years. It was launched in 1990 but have to be repaired fast because of some glass glitch. Astronomers found out that the mirror has a defect. They had to send astronauts in the '93 to put some 'glasses' to the telescope's eyes. It did work and the Hubble Space Telescope has been able to picture clearly.
It was the start of five other repairs. Other repair missions were about adding new cameras, fixing gyroscopes, and replacing the batteries. Its last mission was back in 2009. James Webb Space telescope will be replacing Hubble Space Telescope soon. The Hubble telescope has served its purpose and has outlived its time.
However, some officials think private space firm Sierra Nevada might have something in store to send an astronaut into space for the repair of Hubble Space Telescope. There is the "mini-shuttle" called the Dream Chaser. This unmanned spacecraft can do the job but the Hubble mission needs a manned space flight. There might be solution to that so studies are being done in order for Dream Chaser to take an astronaut with it.
Hubble Space Telescope is old and some people might think it is not needed anymore because James Webb Telescope is already ready to launch. However, Hubble telescope is nearer and can get a better view than the James Webb one. There is longer time for astronomers to observe using it than the Webb telescope. Having Hubble telescope as a back-up would be a great idea.
