Take Her To The Barn And...

 Take her to the barn and put her down. The Hubble Space Telescope is ailing and mostly from old age. That's what happens with animals when they got old and unable to function properly, they are given a humane death and that's that. The Hubble Space Telescope has been at it's endearing work for a long time now. A dang long time for any space craft. Hubble has more than tripled the return on an initial investment made by the American taxpayer. The Hubble had some issues, NASA sent it's 'space truck' the Space Shuttle of which there were six, to fix the Hubble's issues and Hubble has returned significant amounts of space science as well as some really cool images from space near and far. Deep space far. The Hubble was originally design to function for fifteen years. That's a long time for any space telescope. The Hubble has functioned properly for just about 30+ years up to and until the Hubble went into "safe mode" as a made in the 1980's computer went kaputz. Hubble went into orbit and service in April of 1990. Sure, the Hubble had some issues in the beginning. Those "issues" were fixed and presto, one dang spiffy space-based telescope that likes of which have yet to be duplicated by ANYONE! You go NASA! Anyway and as painful as it is with the dying of a very old and trusted friend, it's just about time to put her down. Shut the remaining systems off, pack in all the science things that are hanging off the Hubble, reactivate one of the 'in mothballs' Space Shuttles, and go get the Hubble and bring her back to Earth. The Hubble deserves to be kept in a place of honor at the Smithsonian Space Museum. Yeah yeah, the Space Shuttles are no longer in service but you can bet that NASA and/or the U.S. military have kept one of those Shuttles ready to go at a moments notice for one of those 'just in case' scenarios and bringing Hubble back to Earth would be one of those 'just in case' moments. NASA could do this and the American people and the people of our shared world deserve a mission such as I've described. Bring her home! The trip would be worth the cost and effort. Bring her home damn it! The Hubble Space Telescope deserves nothing less. Machine art is next and it's nothing compared to anything the Hubble has given us. 

ahoy matey -

water falls...it's the gravity -

enjoy the holiday and remember to keep hydrated and leave the fireworks to the "professionals" or the U.S. military. the military always gives us a 'big' bang for the buck. :] TTFN