Herschel space telescope finishes mission (space post)

[Legion2213]

Europe's flagship space telescope has stopped working.

The billion-euro Herschel observatory has run out of the liquid helium needed to keep its instruments and detectors at their ultra-low functioning temperature.

This equipment has now warmed, meaning the telescope cannot see the sky.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21934520


Depressing kind of piece for folks with an interest in all things space...nothing up there to replace it's capabilities until 2020 when the japs will put their own version up there.

[Neil]

Depressing kind of piece for folks with an interest in all things space...nothing up there to replace it's capabilities until 2020 when the japs will put their own version up there.

That's a long time :(

[Legion2213]

That's a long time :(

Yep...I was wondering why they didn't include a filler cap on this thing...but It's probably a bit more complicated than sending a shuttle up and shoving a filling hose in there.

I just hate reading about this stuff...I was born in 1972 and was promised a "space future" full of moon bases and trips to Mars and stuff (admittedly, mostly by comics and TV series, but I really thought we'd be "out there" a lot more by now, even if it was just in our own backyard). The people who witnessed the Moon landings must feel particularly ripped off with their hopes and dreams for the future of space exploration.

As for the images telescopes like this produce, I won't lie, they fascinate me, but chill me to the core...the absolute scale of them is horrific, most of those pretty clouds they image are light years across...it hurts the brain to think about it, makes me feel like a little germ just knocking about the Universe, if our entire solar system was gone tomorrow, it wouldn't even register on the galactic scale.

[Neil]

I just hate reading about this stuff...I was born in 1972 and was promised a "space future" full of moon bases and trips to Mars and stuff (admittedly, mostly by comics and TV series, but I really thought we'd be "out there" a lot more by now, even if it was just in our own backyard). The people who witnessed the Moon landings must feel particularly ripped off with their hopes and dreams for the future of space exploration.
I just hope, before I die, to see missions to the seas on Europa and/or Enceladus, and to see living creatures there... And to see see mining in space get a foothold, such that it looks viable and achievable...

[Morto Vivente]

I just hate reading about this stuff...I was born in 1972 and was promised a "space future" full of moon bases and trips to Mars and stuff (admittedly, mostly by comics and TV series, but I really thought we'd be "out there" a lot more by now, even if it was just in our own backyard). The people who witnessed the Moon landings must feel particularly ripped off with their hopes and dreams for the future of space exploration.

I was born in '71 and I feel the same. Where's my friggin' jetpack....seriously.


I'm not hijacking the thread but it did get me thinking about jetpacks. Turns out one has been available for a few months according to this article. Only one problem they cost $200,000.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/diy-flying/4217989

[Legion2213]

I don't consider tipping your mates off about "jet packs for sale" to be hijacking. :D

[Morto Vivente]

If I start saving now I won't need that electric wheelchair. I'll be picking up my prescriptions by jet pack! :D