[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 39 (Thursday, March 25, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3191-S3192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 324--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE RELATING TO 
    THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS RESULTING FROM THE HUBBLE SPACE 
  TELESCOPE TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, AND TO THE NEED TO 
    RECONSIDER FUTURE SERVICE MISSIONS TO THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

  Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself and Mr. Brownback) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation:

                              S. Res. 324

       Whereas discoveries from the Hubble Space Telescope have 
     dominated space science news over the last 10 years;
       Whereas the Hubble Space Telescope has provided proof of 
     black holes, insights into the birth and death of stars, 
     spectacular views of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9's collision with 
     Jupiter, the age of the Universe, and evidence that the 
     expansion of the Universe is accelerating;
       Whereas the inspiring scientific discoveries from the 
     Hubble Space Telescope reach millions of students each year 
     and have been important in encouraging students to study the 
     sciences;
       Whereas the inspiring scientific discoveries from the 
     Hubble Space Telescope reach millions of students each year 
     and have been important in encouraging students to study the 
     sciences;
       Whereas the 2000 National Academy of Sciences Decadal 
     Survey endorsed a plan to maintain the Hubble Space Telescope 
     until 2010;
       Whereas the Hubble Space Telescope has been the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration's most scientifically 
     productive mission, accounting for 35 percent of all National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration discoveries in the last 
     20 years;
       Whereas the demand for research time on the Hubble Space 
     Telescope in 2003 was approximately 8 times that available;
       Whereas approximately $200,000,000 worth of instruments 
     have largely been built, including scientific instruments 
     that would provide significant improvements in Hubble's 
     scientific power and including replacement gyroscopes and 
     batteries, which could keep the telescope in operation until 
     2011 or 2012 and make the Hubble Space Telescope's final 
     years its most scientifically capable and productive;
       Whereas the distinguished panel that studied scientific 
     priorities for ultraviolet and optical astronomy in 2003 
     considered the continued operation of the Hubble Space 
     Telescope by means of the SM-4 servicing mission to be its 
     highest priority; and
       Whereas the American Astronomical Society, the largest 
     professional scientific association for astronomers and 
     astrophysicists, believes a panel of experts should review 
     the decision to limit prematurely the lifespan of the Hubble 
     Space Telescope: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the extraordinary contributions resulting 
     from the Hubble Space Telescope to scientific research and 
     education;
       (2) strongly recommends that the Administrator of the 
     National Aeronautics and Space Administration appoint an 
     independent panel of expert scientists and engineers inside 
     and outside of the National Aeronautics

[[Page S3192]]

     and Space Administration to examine all possible options for 
     safely carrying out the planned servicing mission to the 
     Hubble Space Telescope and assess alternative servicing 
     methods; and
       (3) expresses its strong sentiment that the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration should continue all 
     planning, preparation, and astronaut training activities for 
     the SM-4 servicing mission without interruption until the 
     expert panel issues its report and until the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration provides a timetable of 
     compliance with recommendation R6.4-1 of the Columbia 
     Accident Investigation Board report, which calls for ``a 
     fully autonomous capability for all missions to address the 
     possibility that an International Space Station mission fails 
     to achieve the correct orbit, fails to dock successfully, or 
     is damaged during or after undocking'', since National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration compliance with the 
     recommendation will allow both a Hubble servicing mission and 
     missions to the International Space Station to be carried out 
     safely.

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to submit a Senate Resolution 
with my distinguished colleague from Kansas, Senator Brownback. This 
Resolution expresses the desire of the Senate for NASA to undertake a 
comprehensive independent review of the decision to terminate the final 
servicing mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and that all planning 
and preparation activities continue during this period.
  On January 14, 2004, the NASA Administrator announced that he was 
terminating the final servicing mission for the Hubble Telescope that 
was scheduled to be launched in 2007.
  When the NASA Administrator announced his decision, I was shocked. 
Hubble has been the most successful NASA program since Apollo. In fact, 
it is arguably the greatest scientific instrument since Galileo's 
telescope.
  Pictures from Hubble have helped scientists prove that the universe 
is expanding, that black holes exist, and how stars are born and how 
stars die.
  Earlier this month, the Space Telescope Science Institute released 
what may be considered the greatest photograph ever taken of the 
universe. It is a picture showing what the universe was like almost 12 
billion years ago. Galaxies and stars never seen before are shown in 
extraordinary detail that will usher in a new era of discovery for 
years to come.
  With the scientific value of Hubble undisputed, I was shocked that 
there was no report, analysis or study that supported the 
Administrator's decision.
  It is imperative that we have a full understanding of all the issues, 
including the potential risks, scientific benefits and alternative 
servicing methods for a Hubble servicing mission. This decision is too 
important to be left to just one person. We need the best advice from 
the best minds to determine Hubble's future.
  Let me be clear. I want to stand up for Hubble. I will always stand 
up for the safety of our astronauts. We must do everything possible to 
ensure the safety of our astronauts, whether they are traveling to the 
Space Station or fixing Hubble. Putting safety first means that NASA 
must fully implement all of the recommendations of the Columbia 
Accident Investigation Board as soon as possible. As the Ranking Member 
of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA, working on a bi-
partisan basis with my distinguished colleague from Missouri, Senator 
Bond, we are committed to providing whatever resources are needed to 
ensure that safety of our astronauts and the safety of the Space 
Shuttle.
  Before an irrevocable decision is made about Hubble's future, I want 
the best minds in science and engineering to tell us what are the risks 
and how can we reduce them.
  I know many of my colleagues share these concerns. That's why Senator 
Brownback and I are submitting this resolution today. The decision to 
terminate the Hubble servicing mission represents a major change in our 
science and space policies. Congress, the American people and the world 
deserve nothing less than a rigorous and independent review so we can 
fully understand all of the issues surrounding a servicing mission.
  Finally, I want to thank the outstanding employees of the Goddard 
Space Flight Center and Space Telescope Science Institute. Without 
their hard work and dedication to the cause of science, exploration and 
discovery, Hubble would not be what it is today, the greatest 
scientific instrument mankind has ever created.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I recognize the significant scientific 
accomplishments of the Hubble Space Telescope. Space telescopes such as 
Hubble are an important part of our future space program and the 
President's vision for revitalized human exploration of space.
  Several months ago NASA made a decision to forego planned Space 
Shuttle servicing missions for the Hubble Space Telescope. This is a 
difficult and complicated issue and technical experts reasonably differ 
on the best approach. I believe that NASA might benefit from the 
counsel of the best experts the nation can muster inside and outside of 
the Government. Correspondingly, I've joined my colleague Senator 
Mikulski in urging NASA to sponsor a comprehensive study on the full 
range of options and risks associated with various approaches for 
maintaining the Hubble Space Telescope and its capabilities. I would 
also hope that this study would include imaginative new concepts for 
robotic servicing.
  As we fulfill the promise of space exploration the President has 
outlined, the enormous success of the Hubble Space Telescope and other 
NASA successes such as the recent Mars Rover Program provide us with a 
sound basis upon which to build. NASA can count on my continued support 
of their endeavors to provide unlimited opportunity to future 
generations of Americans.

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