ScienceCasts: Did Earth Have Two Moons?

The Hubble Space Telescope

At the same time that astronomers and scientists were working on the shuttle that could carry people into space, the satellite called The Hubble Space Telescope was in the making. The plan was to launch it and then upkeep the telescope with the space ship program so the astronauts could repair and replace equipment. It was not until 1990 that the Hubble Telescope was launched due to the back up in the space program when the shuttle, Challenger, exploded. The Telescope has cameras and mirrors it uses to take pictures while in orbit. The Hubble Telescope sent back the first pictures of outer space collected by an observatory in space. The Telescope can be used for any organization or university that needs its unique capabilities in a study. Another observatory called the Chandra X-ray Observatory examines the wavelengths around black holes and the creation and characteristics of the holes (Seven Wonders of Space Technology, Bortz 2011) . Probes and observatories are also being used to answer and explore questions about nearby planets, such as Mars, and if it would be possible to support life on these planets. 
- Bortz, Alfred. (2011). Seven Wonders of Space Technology. Twenty-First Century Books.

Space probes/satellites: Advantages and disadvantages

Space Probes/Satellites are the next step in the NASA program concentration. With satellites and probes traveling to the outer reaches of our solar system to study black wholes, to the examination of the meteorites to determine if they have the same planetary make up as earth. To learn more about Mars, its past and to maybe be on its surface in the future. Learning more about the universe in a way to spark the next great step in space exploration.
-Advantages
*Exploration and new knowledge of the universe
*Can look for a life sustaining planet or one that was in the past
*By using the technology and knowledge of the scientists we are aware of different affects of what we do on earth and how it could affect the bigger atmosphere around us.
*The continued thought in the future of a manned flight to Mars.
* Progresses NASA forward instead of backwards since the shut down of their manned space program.

-Disadvantages  
*Expensive for different missions that do not seem to be linked, as if the probes are just a way of satifying curiosity.
*A large portion of the Scientists for the Space program were retired do to cuts
*The controversy of the continued research not really being ethically or socially accepted in some areas.
*The long wait duration for each mission.
* The next step in space exploration is still not defined.