According to the latest news, the Hubble Space Telescope will get a necessary repair mission to extend its life beyond 2008.
Originally, the Space Shuttle was deemed too dangerous after the second accident in 2003, and NASA determined that outside of its primary mission of completing the build of the International Space Station, it would sit idle, despite the fact that Hubble was going to have to be decommissioned.
Now, after an apparently extensive review, the most important space observatory in history will be preserved.
This is an important thing for humanity, and I believe it will go far to enhance our understanding of the Universe in which we find ourselves. Although I sometimes struggle with the use of taxpayer dollars to support the space program, the fact of the matter is that private enterprise is not yet ready to take the baton from Uncle Sam. Rather than lose Hubble, we're going to get 18 or 19 more years out of it, by which time hopefully it will be replaced with something (or several things) even better.
Good news on the space front, if you ask me!
