re: Space telescopes
It's true the HST pictures will remain forever as some of the most significant in the world cultural heritage.
Students in 20 years time will make their astrophysics thesis based on HST pictures.
It's also true earth based telescopes are even now sometimes doing better than the HST.
But I'm not optimistic this announcement will have a positive effect on the James Webb Telescope. I'm afraid of a trend that's just beginning.
HST's end will be a great loss to the scientific community.
Raoul