RIP Spitzer: NASA bids an emotional farewell to its infrared space telescope

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
But surely they could find some other group to buy/lease/rent it from them ?
It costs more than you could believe to operate something like that. Non-government entities wouldn't have pockets that were deep enough.

They probably want to direct more money towards developing a better camouflage uniform for the space force.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
It costs more than you could believe to operate something like that. Non-government entities wouldn't have pockets that were deep enough.

They probably want to direct more money towards developing a better camouflage uniform for the space force.
I've submitted a few ideas to the Space Force for those new uniforms.


The uniforms will be for earth ground based forces so a camouflage uniform is appropriate. Being in the the old dungaree Navy meant wearing a BDU jacket and a bucket on the head during field trips with my friends.
1580579025821.jpeg
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
The Pentagon doesn't expect it to last very long until a new administration kills it so they needed a uniform that could used in the other services by just changing a patch or two to save their money.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
The Pentagon doesn't expect it to last very long until a new administration kills it so they needed a uniform that could used in the other services by just changing a patch or two to save their money.
Without going too political, the Space Force in some configuration is a centrist (money to states) proposal that congress will rework and keep.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
It's not breaking down as far as I know, they are just removing it from the budget. They still have tons of data to go through from past pictures at least.

But surely they could find some other group to buy/lease/rent it from them ? There's loads of scientists that could be using it. What a shame.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/science...Spitzer-space-telescope-16-years-service.html
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/2166-ssc2019-10-How-NASA-s-Spitzer-Has-Stayed-Alive-for-So-Long
Every mission must end at some point. As the challenges associated with operating Spitzer continue to grow and as the risk of a mission-ending anomaly on the spacecraft rises, NASA has made the decision to close out the mission in a controlled manner.

"There have been times when the Spitzer mission could have ended in a way we didn't plan for," said Kahr. "I'm glad that in January we'll be able to retire the spacecraft deliberately, the way we want to do it."
It should be noted that the craft is being put in hibernation, not being abandoned entirely.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
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