Today's post is not about any new innovation/advancement, but a sad statement on the way science is being short-changed in the United States. The Hubble telescope has been the diamond in the crown of modern space explorations. Launched in 1990 by the space shuttle Discovery, Hubble has performed with near precision (notwithstanding some major and minor repairs) for nearly 15 years now. Hubble could still go on for several years (with some repairs), but soon this crowning achievement will be fitted with rockets, which will bring it crashing down into the Pacific Ocean.

Hubble Space Telescope (Courtesy: NASA)A major review last week of servicing the Hubble Space Telescope has led NASA officials to a deorbit only position. Backed (perhaps unsurprisingly) by the White House, the tele-robotic mission (that would have used a robot/robotic arm to fix the gyroscopes and do some other maintenance) has been scrapped. After the Columbia disaster, a manned mission was scrapped as well, supposedly on safety grounds, despite the astronauts' statements that are perfectly willing to take the risk.
So how healthy is Hubble now? As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, Hubble currently has three working gyroscopes, and scientists have managed to make it work even on two, which might allow Hubble function until 2008. The batteries might fail by 2010. So, we can expect another (at the most) 2-3 good years from Hubble. So start writing your obituaries now :(:(.
On a lighter note, this is my 60th post (Diamond Jubilee!). Somehow, writing about this diamond in the sky seemed strangely appropriate.