Re:*sighs* NASA seems to have a lot to learn. (Score 2, Informative)

I have to disagree with several of your comments. Hubble is not broken. It has not surpassed its lifespan. It has outperformed, but it's not coming to an end!

True, when it was first launched there was a problem with the mirror. But, it got fixed with the first servicing mission. And since then, the new instruments installed on Hubble didn't even need COSTAR (the fix to the aberrated optics). They were designed to account for that in their optical designs.

In addition, and most importantly, the original plan for Hubble was for it to be a RENEWABLE instrument. Four missions to service Hubble were in the plans. Missions to bring new instruments, upgraded equipment (solar arrays, computers, gyros), and new life to Hubble. A notion unheard of when launching satellites!!!

Servicing Mission 4 was originally scheduled to have happened this year. But b'c of the Columbia tragedy, got postponed till 2005-2006. And to top it all off, the astronomical community was lobbying for an additional 5th mission to service Hubble and extend its life to overlap with JWST, and do some unparalleled simultaneous observations!!

This moon/mars "vision" is like the Jerry Springer shows... gladiators in the past... purely entertainment to get the ratings of the masses..