Save the Hubble 03/18/2004 messages

Read previous Messages of the Day, here.

Save the Hubble Inspiring Message of the Day:

"Hello, my name is Donna Rouse. I'm a 46 yr. old mother and grandmother. I'm not a scientist. I don't even have a college degree. What I am is a lover of space and the unknown. I go to the Nasa and Hubble web sites everyday just to look at the pictures. They take my breath away. The photos take me to a place that I will never be priviledged to go. There is something almost "holy" about the hubble photos. My "picture folder" on my personal computer is full of the most most beautiful of the pictures. The photos are my desktop background and also my screensaver. I remember like it was yesterday the night my mom let me and my brother and sister stay up and watch Walter Cronkite when we landed on the moon. Hubble gives us the most precious of gifts. What the telescope has shown us so far is just the tip of the iceberg. I wish that I was more educated so that I could list all of the scientific reasons that the Hubble should not be terminated. I just know that it would be a horrible mistake to end the Hubble's presence in our skies. Some of us need to believe that there is much more out there. We just can't be all there is. Just imagine what Galileo must be thinking. I imagine if he were here today, he would weep. He would weep at the possiblities of ending the Hubble and he would weep at the beauty of the photos that the Hubble gives us. I also think he would be just a little disgusted that one man could have the power to shut the Hubble down. It would truly be a crime. I know that there are people out there that have the power to stop this from happening. I really hope the Hubble can keep on doing what it was meant to do for a long time to come!!" Thank you, Donna Rousef.
(No need for degrees Donna, there are already plenty around ... Wish could hug you... S.t.H.)

Save the Hubble Reason of the Day:

"I know O'Keefe is saying that servicing the Hubble will place the seven astronauts in danger. NASA is claiming they want to attach boosters to the Hubble in the next decade to do a controlled descent into the Pacific. However if Hubble is not serviced, won't the power supply and gyroscopes eventually stop working and potentially cause Hubble to go into an uncontrolled spin and crash into the Earth? Granted the odds are likely that it will land in an ocean, but if it strikes land, it could kill who knows how many people. Looking solely at the numbers, it is better to risk the lives of seven brave people who not only know and accept the risks that come with their jobs but who also volunteer for it as well versus potentially hundreds of innocent bystanders on land getting struck by falling debris? During the service to replace power supplies and gyroscopes, since the equipment is already built, why not also upgrade the equipment as well. It will simply be a mission to prevent disaster on land that just happens to have the extra benefit of upgrading the most important scientific piece of equipment Astronomy has ever had. How could O'Keefe argue against this logic?" James Oliver

 

Save the Hubble Idea of the Day:

"The other day, I read that part of the new safety procedures for future shuttle missions is that Hi res cameras will be used to check the shuttle for damage. If found, a stand by shuttle will be launched to dock with the space station to rescue the crew from the damaged shuttle. If this is the case then why not have a shuttle ready to launch for a mission to the Hubble. This would involve a new procedure to transfer a crew from one shuttle to another. This could be trained for on the ground before the mission. And one thing NASA is good at is training. Also when the astronauts are outside working on the Hubble, they can extend the spacewalk to inspect the shuttle. If damage is found then the shuttle will return to low earth orbit, wait for the second shuttle, transfer the crew and return to earth in the second shuttle.
Yes, this would mean another shuttle will be lost. But the crew will be safe, and the Hubble will be too. But if all goes well (no damage) Then this will be a plus. And safety for the crew will be assured.
This all assumes that I did ready the NASA review board report correctly. And that NASA really wants to save the Hubble." Al Wilson


Save the Hubble Best Political Challenge of the Day:
(this IS a democratic site!)

"Once again mass hesteria rules the mob. Yes, we have lost precious lives but that is the risk we take when we reach into the unknown. Many lives were lost in the exploration of our own planet. When man reached for the skies in their quest to fly there were many losses, when in the 14th and 15 centurys when the tall ships sailed into the unknown and some failed to return we didn't stop sailing we built another ship and put out again. Only now when the companies that build these ships are pressed to comply with more stringent safety rules they balk because it will cost too much. Maybe they should step aside and let other companies that are willing and able to do the job." Larry

 

Save the Hubble Philosophical Quote of the Day:

"The hubble is our eyes to our creation. To remove our vision to our past and present is almost like saying "Isn't being blind just a wonderful way to live life"? Sending man to moon and mars is great if we had a trillion dollars sitting around just waiting to be spent. Save our future now." William Becker 4 Eva Circle Randolph, MA (We would sure need a hell of a cane!! S.t.H.)

Save the Hubble Slightly Un polite Reason Not to of the Day:

"There are others (sic) areas of science more deserving of support than the hubble if you want to save the hubble do it on your own"Pete Staffa. (Well, that's more or less what I'm doing Pete; Who do you think is paying for this web site? He! He! He! S.t.H.)

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