I still think at some point congress will be asked to put up some extra funds to save the HST.
Maybe all we need to do is send a remote controlled rocket pack that would attach to the HST and boost it into a higher orbit where it could be mothballed until a full rejuvenation mission could be launched at a later date...Maybe instead of rockets, attach an ion engine that could slowly alter the HST's orbit so that it is in the same orbit / flying in formation with the ISS. Then shuttle missions could kill 2 birds with one stone.
Then in about 2020 when the HST is grossly outdated technology, we could attach a nuclear rocket to the thing and send it on a 500 year mission to travel to nearby star systems where it could snap some interesting close-up pictures of extra-terrestrial planets, brown dwarfs, etc...
Scott Evil (Just trying to think outside the box and save some money while satisfying everybody...)
Space/Science » in reply to 2007-2009
Mount the arm on the telescope or the payload module.