If they could get a bigger cargo bay on a rocket, a lot of the risky folding mechanisms could have been removed. They could have used a design closer to the Hub

If they could get a bigger cargo bay on a rocket, a lot of the risky folding mechanisms could have been removed. They could have used a design closer to the Hubble, Spitzer or Neowise. The next telescope being planned out is LUVOIR which be even bigger so they will still need to continue with folding mechanisms given the bigger size. They may need to eventually think of modular telescopes that are assembled in space. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Ultraviolet_Optical_Infrared_Surveyor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Ultraviolet_Optical_Infr...