Monday, October 24, 2011

No one debates whether Hubble was worth the delays and budget overruns, and yet his successor, James Webb Space Telescope is now facing the ax, for similar reasons

Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990 as the flagship of the Observatory of NASA, and was the more important to be flown in space at that time. In the early stages of the project, the Hubble telescope has been hampered by technical delays and budget problems. His problems continued after the launch, and a manned rescue mission was sent to repair Hubble optics at an enormous cost. Twenty years later, it is difficult to overstate the impact that Hubble was in science, and in the public imagination. However, today the U.S. government is about to give the successor to Hubble NASA, the billionaire James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Images

Telescope

have graced the covers of our newspapers, inspired thousands to look and reflect on our place in the universe. They even made couture dresses worn by the wife of British Prime Minister, Samantha Cameron. If you have seen pictures of stars, nebulae and galaxies over the past 20 years, there is a good chance they were taken by Hubble.

not let the rather silly pictures: Hubble observatory is a great scientist, and data has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Competition for the use of their instruments is stronger than ever. But at 20 years, Hubble is about to retire. JWST's primary mirror is more than six times the size of Hubble telescope and is designed specifically to advance in areas where Hubble made his most advanced contributions. Performance we can expect JWST is much better than any other similar instrument or a telescope on the horizon. Its impact is almost certain to rival that of Hubble.

Thursday, the subcommittee appropriations U. S. House for Science, Commerce and Justice of the budget has passed a law in little fanfare to remove all funds for the mission, after criticism from senior managers and budget overruns. This is only the first step in what may be a long drama, in which the bill will be bouncing between the various committees of the House and Senate in the coming months. A fierce battle for the survival of JWST is to come.

What is the cancellation of science and society? For me, the experience of Hubble is the key. What we have lost over the last 20 years without Hubble

Hubble observations have been crucial in many scientific advances largest in recent history, with important contributions covering all fields of astronomy. His remarks at the beginning of 1990 galaxies in the distant Universe have launched one of the most active areas of research in astrophysics, the study of galaxy evolution through cosmic history. For the first time, other nearby galaxies that our neighbors could be reflected in such detail as we can see its shape, size, even to see their stars twinkle and operate, and measure their distances. With Hubble's new instruments, we were able to look back over 13 billion years in time when the universe was only a few hundred million years. It's just incredible.

exquisite quality Hubble image also provided the first visual confirmation of the existence of planets around other stars in the Milky Way. This provided a great impetus to the rapidly expanding field studies of exoplanets and the search for life elsewhere in the universe. Importantly, all data from Hubble archive is open to all, and NASA hosts a huge archive of images that are free to download and use. As a result, Hubble has found its place in popular culture, fashion, art and education, more than any other scientific instrument before. The observatory has inspired a generation of children, including myself and many of my colleagues to take an interest in science and technology. This for me is as important as the scientific results of Hubble has produced. Today, mid-infrared James Webb Space Telescope Instrument (MIRI), I worked for several years, is nearing completion. The instrument is now in its final test at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, before sending it to our colleagues at NASA for integration with the telescope.


The crucial point for the budget, is that the money made by the JWST has been removed from NASA's budget completely. I will not go on other missions or research grants. $ 3 billion was spent in the United States alone, only to be discharged. About 2,000 American jobs are thought to be on the line. The European Space Agency is a partner of 15% in the JWST, his Canadian counterpart will contribute more than $ 100 million. What is at stake here in Europe are too high.

Hubble has cost several million dollars more than originally planned, and its release was delayed for nearly a decade. But now, 20 years later, no debate as to whether the funds are well spent. This will be his successor, leaving the same legacy? And, more importantly, we can not know?
is difficult to see who will be the best if you really JWST is drawn. For scientists, the loss will be slow progress in the understanding of physics that govern the universe at a time when major advances are within reach. Engineers who have successfully completed many aspects of the observatory is more than a decade of work go to waste.


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