ASSESSMENT OF OPTIONS FOR EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
Final Report
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
Support for this project was provided by Contract NASW 01001 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
Cover: Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 4414, a spiral galaxy 19.1 megaparsecs from our own. This image helped astronomers to determine more precisely the value of the Hubble constant, a measure of how fast the universe is expanding. Image courtesy of STScI/NASA.
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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
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The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.
OTHER REPORTS OF THE SPACE STUDIES BOARD AND THE AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ENGINEERING BOARD
Exploration of the Outer Heliosphere and the Local Interstellar Medium: A Workshop Report (SSB, 2004)
Issues and Opportunities Regarding the U.S. Space Program: A Summary Report of a Workshop on National Space Policy (SSB and ASEB, 2004)
Plasma Physics of the Local Cosmos (SSB, 2004)
Stepping-Stones to the Future of Space Exploration: A Workshop Report (ASEB, 2004)
Utilization of Operational Environmental Satellite Data: Ensuring Readiness for 2010 and Beyond (SSB, 2004)
“Vehicle Systems Panel Report on the Status of NASA’s Vehicle Systems Program” (ASEB, 2004)
An Assessment of NASA’s Aeronautics Technology Programs (ASEB, 2003)
Interim Report of NRC Review of NASA’s Pioneering Revolutionary Technology Program (ASEB, 2003)
Satellite Observations of the Earth’s Environment: Accelerating the Transition of Research to Operations (SSB, ASEB, and Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, 2003)
“Aeronautics Research and Technology for 2050: Assessing Visions and Goals” (ASEB, 2002)
Assessment of the Usefulness and Availability of NASA’s Earth and Space Science Mission Data (SSB, 2002)
Factors Affecting the Utilization of the International Space Station for Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences (SSB, 2002)
Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power: An Assessment of NASA’s Space Solar Power Investment Strategy (ASEB, 2001)
Life in the Universe: An Examination of U.S. and International Programs in Astrobiology (SSB, 2002)
New Frontiers in the Solar System: An Integrated Exploration Strategy (SSB, 2002)
“Review of the Redesigned Space Interferometry Mission (SIM)” (SSB and Board on Physics and Astronomy, 2002)
The Sun to the Earth—and Beyond: A Decadal Research Strategy in Solar and Space Physics (SSB, 2002)
Readiness Issues Related to Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences on the International Space Station (SSB, 2001)
“Scientific Assessment of the Descoped Mission Concept for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST)” (SSB and Board on Physics and Astronomy, 2001)
Thermionics Quo Vadis? An Assessment of the DTRA’s Advanced Thermionics Research and Development Program (ASEB, 2001)
U.S. Astronomy and Astrophysics: Managing an Integrated Program (SSB and Board on Physics and Astronomy, 2001)
Design in the New Millennium: Advanced Engineering Environments: Phase 2 (ASEB, 2000)
Engineering Challenges to the Long-Term Operation of the International Space Station (ASEB, 2000)
Institutional Arrangements for Space Station Research (ASEB and SSB, 2000)
Limited copies of SSB reports are available free of charge from:
Space Studies Board
National Research Council
The Keck Center of the National Academies
500 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001
(202) 334-3477 ssb@nas.edu
www.nationalacademies.org/ssb/ssb.html
NOTE: Listed according to year of approval for release.
COMMITTEE ON THE ASSESSMENT OF OPTIONS FOR EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
LOUIS J. LANZEROTTI, Consultant,
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, and New Jersey Institute of Technology,
Chair
STEVEN J. BATTEL,
Battel Engineering
CHARLES F. BOLDEN, JR.,
U.S. Marine Corps (retired); TechTrans International, Inc.
RODNEY A. BROOKS,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
JON H. BRYSON,
The Aerospace Corporation (retired)
BENJAMIN BUCHBINDER,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (retired)
BERT BULKIN,
Lockheed Missiles and Space (retired)
ROBERT F. DUNN,
U.S. Navy (retired)
SANDRA M. FABER,
University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz
B. JOHN GARRICK, Independent Consultant
RICCARDO GIACCONI,
Johns Hopkins University and Associated Universities, Inc.
GREGORY J. HARBAUGH,
Sun ’n Fun Fly-In, Inc., and Florida Air Museum
TOMMY W. HOLLOWAY,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (retired)
JOHN M. KLINEBERG,
Space Systems/Loral (retired)
VIJAY KUMAR,
University of Pennsylvania
FORREST S. McCARTNEY,
U.S. Air Force (retired)
STEPHEN M. ROCK,
Stanford University
JOSEPH H. ROTHENBERG,
Universal Space Network
JOSEPH H. TAYLOR, JR.,
Princeton University
ROGER E. TETRAULT,
McDermott International, Inc. (retired)
RICHARD H. TRULY,
U.S. Navy (retired); National Renewable Energy Laboratory
SANDRA J. GRAHAM, Senior Program Officer,
Space Studies Board
MAUREEN MELLODY, Program Officer,
Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
CELESTE NAYLOR, Senior Project Assistant,
Space Studies Board
AMANDA SHARP, Research Assistant,
Space Studies Board
CATHERINE A. GRUBER, Assistant Editor,
Space Studies Board
SPACE STUDIES BOARD
LENNARD A. FISK,
University of Michigan,
Chair
GEORGE A. PAULIKAS,
The Aerospace Corporation (retired),
Vice Chair
DANIEL N. BAKER,
University of Colorado
ANA P. BARROS,
Duke University
RETA F. BEEBE,
New Mexico State University
ROGER D. BLANDFORD,
Stanford University
RADFORD BYERLY, JR.,
University of Colorado
JUDITH A. CURRY,
Georgia Institute of Technology
JACK D. FARMER,
Arizona State University
JACQUELINE N. HEWITT,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
DONALD INGBER,
Harvard Medical Center
RALPH H. JACOBSON,
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (retired)
TAMARA E. JERNIGAN,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
MARGARET G. KIVELSON,
University of California, Los Angeles
CALVIN W. LOWE,
Bowie State University
HARRY Y. McSWEEN, JR.,
University of Tennessee
BERRIEN MOORE III,
University of New Hampshire
NORMAN NEUREITER,
Texas Instruments (retired)
SUZANNE OPARIL,
University of Alabama, Birmingham
RONALD F. PROBSTEIN,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
DENNIS W. READEY,
Colorado School of Mines
ANNA-LOUISE REYSENBACH,
Portland State University
ROALD S. SAGDEEV,
University of Maryland
CAROLUS J. SCHRIJVER,
Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory
HARVEY D. TANANBAUM,
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
J. CRAIG WHEELER,
University of Texas, Austin
A. THOMAS YOUNG,
Lockheed Martin Corporation (retired)
JOSEPH K. ALEXANDER, Director
AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ENGINEERING BOARD
WILLIAM W. HOOVER,
U.S. Air Force (retired),
Chair
RUZENA K. BAJCSY,
University of California, Berkeley
JAMES (MICKY) BLACKWELL,
Lockheed Martin (retired)
EDWARD BOLEN,
General Aviation Manufacturers Association
ANTHONY J. BRODERICK,
Aviation Safety Consultant
SUSAN M. COUGHLIN,
Aviation Safety Alliance
ROBERT L. CRIPPEN,
Thiokol Propulsion (retired)
DONALD L. CROMER,
U.S. Air Force and Hughes Space and Communications Company (retired)
JOSEPH FULLER, JR.,
Futron Corporation
RICHARD GOLASZEWSKI,
GRA Incorporated
S. MICHAEL HUDSON,
Rolls-Royce North America (retired)
JOHN L. JUNKINS,
Texas A&M University
JOHN M. KLINEBERG,
Space Systems/Loral (retired)
ILAN M. KROO,
Stanford University
JOHN K. LAUBER,
Airbus Industrie of North America, Inc.
GEORGE K. MUELLNER,
The Boeing Company
DAVA J. NEWMAN,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MALCOLM R. O’NEILL,
Lockheed Martin Corporation
CYNTHIA SAMUELSON,
Logistics Management Institute
KATHRYN C. THORNTON,
University of Virginia
HANSEL E. TOOKES II,
Raytheon International, Inc. (retired)
ROBERT S. WALKER,
Wexler and Walker Public Policy Associates
DIANNE S. WILEY,
The Boeing Company
THOMAS L. WILLIAMS,
Northrop Grumman Corporation
GEORGE M. LEVIN, Director
Acknowledgment of Reviewers
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
George Bekey, University of Southern California,
Roger Blandford, Stanford University,
Frank A. Carr, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (retired),
Tamara Jernigan, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
Takeo Kanade, Carnegie Mellon University,
Eugene Kranz, NASA (retired),
Achille Messac, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,
Ali Mosleh, University of Maryland,
George Paulikas, Aerospace Corporation (retired),
Anneila I. Sargent, California Institute of Technology,
Robert W. Smith, University of Alberta, Canada,
William Taylor, NASA (retired),
Chris Whipple, ENVIRON, and
Peter Wilhelm, Naval Research Laboratory.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by William H. Press, Los Alamos
National Laboratory, and John Ahearne, Sigma Xi. Appointed by the National Research Council, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.