Several members of Congress, led by Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), introduced a resolution in the House on Wednesday calling on NASA to establish an independent panel to review its decision cancelling the SM4 Hubble servicing mission. The resolution also asks NASA to continue preparations for that mission until the independent panel completes its review. The resolution (H.Res. 550) is just that: a request, with no force of law, using language like “strongly recommends” and “expresses its strong sentiment”.
The resolution was introduced with seven cosponsors, including two Republicans. While the ranking Democrats for both the full science committee (Bart Gordon) and the space subcommittee (Nick Lampson) have signed onto the resolution, their Republican counterparts (Boehlert and Rohrabacher) have not. It’s also noteworthy that three of the cosponsors (Bartlett, Hoyer, and Ruppersberger) are from Maryland, home to NASA Goddard and the Space Telescope Science Institute, while Udall’s district includes Ball Aerospace in Boulder, which built the instruments that would have been installed on Hubble on SM4.
It is worth noting that on January 22, the American Astronautical Society (AAS) “endorsed the congressional call for a review of the decision to cancel future Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions.”
So this formal congressional call has some pedigree and the signers can legitimately claim that the AAS wants it.
In my review of the news coverage of the Hubble decision, I remain somewhat surprised that NASA has not provided a formal, written explanation of the decision. The agency is constantly responding to the criticism rather than getting out in front of it.
I am writing to urge you to pass the House Resolution Bill 550, to further fund the Hubble Telescope. I cannot believe we would let 4 billion dollars worth of technology and possible future science to go down the tubes because of a lack of impetus. Please spend my money wisely, this is a good cause!!!!!! Save the Hubble!!!!
I cannot believe O;Keefe decides to kill Hubble because JPL got private funding to operate Seti, and got what Hubble was looking for with pennies on the dollar compared to what Hubbe spent.. What if the next target of intelligence does not subscribe to Seti?///I support Hubble—
Sincerely,
Your Phoenix Project UFO
I cannot believe O;Keefe decides to kill Hubble because JPL got private funding to operate Seti, and got what Hubble was looking for with pennies on the dollar compared to what Hubbe spent.. What if the next target of intelligence does not subscribe to Seti?///I support Hubble—
Sincerely,
Your Phoenix Project UFO