Will NASA's Future Missions Be Impacted by Funding Challenges?

[Zach_C]

I recall seeing an article that the funding for men to go to and repair Hubble would not receive funding easily after Columbia. This has prompted an unmanned repair. Have other people heard similar stories? Will NASA be able to do missions like it once did?

 

[turbo]

This is a tough one. The current US administration will accept the deaths of many thousands of humans in the pursuit of "democracy in the Iraq", but is reluctant to allow the Hubble Space Telescope to be serviced by astronauts that are (presumably) eager to do so in a shuttle mission. Such missions are relatively high-profile, and they have a high "public-approval" rating, because real people can see real (or at least color-approximated) images that result from these missions. Which risk is more acceptable?? I can't tell you.

I want to see Hubble live for decades more, but at what (potential) cost? I ride a motorcycle whenever weather permits, and I am routinely tailgated and crowded by idiots in cars and trucks. That does not stop me from riding - it only makes me modify my behavior to reduce the chance that the idiots will kill me. If the astronauts are up for the mission, I think the shuttle to service HST should fly. They are the people who will bear the risk.

 

[Chronos]

The HST, while a huge success, is a little long in the tooth. Among its many accomplishments, it has also shown us how to do a better job at less expense. If it boils down to sacrificing future projects, like JWT, I can understand the decision.