NASA is considering its decision on Hubble's fate

NASA is reviewing its decision to abandon the space telescope, after protest from public figures and the government

The voices of protest about NASA's plan to abandon the Hubble Space Telescope and with it the most impressive images of the universe ever seen, were so loud that NASA leaders announced that they would reconsider their decision. The protests included a letter from Senator Barbara Mikulski and a joint letter from all members of Congress from Maryland, where the Hubble launch platform is based.

The fate of the telescope also worries professional astronomers and amateurs from around the world. And many e-mails "poured" into the mailboxes of the "Space Telescope Science Institute" of Baltimore, which coordinates the use of the telescope.

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said in his letter to Senator Mikulski that Harold Gehman, the chairman of the committee that investigated the circumstances of the Columbia crash last year, "will look into the matter and offer his point of view." Mikulski released a copy of this letter to the press. At the same time, O'Keefe defended his decision, earlier this month, to cancel all shuttle missions to Hubble, which created a revolution in astronomy research with his impressive images of the universe. He raised on Ness the dangers expected for astronauts on the Hubble missions, and President Bush's plan to send a man to the moon, Mars and beyond as relevant reasons for NASA's change of focus.

The reaction of Hubble fans was immediate and massive. "It's just amazing, my email inbox is overflowing," said Steve Beckwith, director of the Space Telescope Science Institute. "Every day we receive offers of ideas, political support and even money. Every day people contact me who want to know how they can contribute to keeping the mourning alive."

Even web pages on the Internet have been dedicated to supporting the rescue of the telescope floating in space.

Mikulski, a Democrat who serves on the Senate subcommittee that oversees the NASA budget, asked for a reconsideration of the decision. "My view is that if someone is told that they need serious surgery, they should have someone who is reasonable and careful to tell them to get another opinion," said Mikulski, "that's what I told Director O'Keefe and that's what he agreed to do." Hubble contributed a lot to science, research and discoveries. We cannot end his last service mission prematurely, without a careful and strict examination."

NASA spokesman Robert Mirelson said O'Keefe did not change his decision but asked Gehman to "basically give his opinion on all the questions on the table," including questions of safety, timetables and Columbia Commission recommendations.

Maryland's congressional delegation sent a letter to O'Keefe on Thursday asking him to reconsider. "The scientific gain we have achieved from Hubble's service thus far has exceeded all our expectations... We believe that NASA should make every possible effort to maintain this proven window into the universe," the letter said.

Without the servicing mission, which was planned for 2006, the hovering telescope is expected to stop working several years before its planned retirement in 2010.

Translation: Eli Ben David
"Save the Grief" website
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