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They should have made a port for refueling it. An internal fuel tank and a high-capacity tank externally Once the fuel is getting low, launch a refuel. when

They should have made a port for refueling it. An internal fuel tank and a high-capacity tank externally Once the fuel is getting low, launch a refuel. when the new supply gets closed, eject the previous tank, dock the new one. Easy. When they managed to du an in air refuel of a SR71 in 1970s . Surely we can dock a fuel tank in 2022?

matheusmoreira 5y ago
And besides, it works in kerbal space program.
simonh 5y ago
> Easy. Nothing in space is easy.
porsupah 5y ago
They did: "Unlike Hubble, Webb isn't designed to be fixed by astronauts. But it can be refueled robotically. Zurbuchen says that 'once this telescope is deployed, I'm going to put all the effort towards developing that technology, and so within the 10-year lifespan, we can go refuel it'" https://nitter.42l.fr/marinakoren/status/1474367236244750345#m https://nitter.42l.fr/marinakoren/status/1474367236244750345... https://nitter.42l.fr/Dr_ThomasZ/status/1474398711505580032#m https://nitter.42l.fr/Dr_ThomasZ/status/1474398711505580032#...
- WalterBright 5y ago
  The astronauts had some serious, unexpected difficulties fixing the Hubble in orbit, and had to improvise. I'm skeptical that blasting a fuel coupling into space, and then trying to figure out how to connect it to a robot, will end well.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - dev_tty01 5y ago
    I don't know. If the fuel coupling design is compatible with robotic access, it might be doable. That would seem easier than the dozens of repairs that astronauts did with Hubble. I assume we learned a lot with the Hubble servicing missions, some of which will be applicable to robotic work. The full list of Hubble service/repairs is quite remarkable if anyone is interested: https://hubblesite.org/mission-and-telescope/servicing-missions https://hubblesite.org/mission-and-telescope/servicing-missi...
- ThinkBeat 5y ago
  awesome :) Thank you.

matheusmoreira 5y ago

And besides, it works in kerbal space program.

simonh 5y ago

> Easy. Nothing in space is easy.

porsupah 5y ago

They did: "Unlike Hubble, Webb isn't designed to be fixed by astronauts. But it can be refueled robotically. Zurbuchen says that 'once this telescope is deployed, I'm going to put all the effort towards developing that technology, and so within the 10-year lifespan, we can go refuel it'" https://nitter.42l.fr/marinakoren/status/1474367236244750345#m https://nitter.42l.fr/marinakoren/status/1474367236244750345... https://nitter.42l.fr/Dr_ThomasZ/status/1474398711505580032#m https://nitter.42l.fr/Dr_ThomasZ/status/1474398711505580032#...

WalterBright 5y ago
The astronauts had some serious, unexpected difficulties fixing the Hubble in orbit, and had to improvise. I'm skeptical that blasting a fuel coupling into space, and then trying to figure out how to connect it to a robot, will end well.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- dev_tty01 5y ago
  I don't know. If the fuel coupling design is compatible with robotic access, it might be doable. That would seem easier than the dozens of repairs that astronauts did with Hubble. I assume we learned a lot with the Hubble servicing missions, some of which will be applicable to robotic work. The full list of Hubble service/repairs is quite remarkable if anyone is interested: https://hubblesite.org/mission-and-telescope/servicing-missions https://hubblesite.org/mission-and-telescope/servicing-missi...
ThinkBeat 5y ago
awesome :) Thank you.