Yes sir they are :D

Being the resident astronomer...
Astronomy is pure science, science for the fun of it. We take your money (ha!) and turn it into pure science, nothing more. WE never make a better bridge, or a better alloy, or a better medicine, or a better weapon. We simply try to illuminate a tiny, tiny bit of the WHOLE FREAKING UNIVERSE.

7 billion people are worried about what is happening on Planet Earth. 50,000 astronomers are worried about what is happening EVERYWHERE ELSE. Give us our playground.


Point is, no astronomer thinks that we understand anything, nor that we have the tools to even begin to understand anything. We DO know that whatever tools we have are critically important to understand something, and that those tools are ALWAYS behind schedule and over budget. Not for lack of trying, every single Hubble image you've ever seen is a bribe to get you to send us more money so we can get a damned space telescope up in space faster.

Mike- you're an astronomer? That's pretty cool. I am astonished at what astronomers have figured out considering the tools they have.

Question- would the Hubble have been better if it had been designed correctly vs having to have been corrected?

I *was* an astronomer. I primarily worked at University of Arizona, at the Steward Observatory, which gave me access to something like 20 major scopes right around town. I no longer do astronomy, but it's always there...

It's hard to say about Hubble. If it has been correct right away, maybe they wouldn't have put as much effort into upgrading it? The upgrades, not just the optical correction, but the new cameras, the IR equipment, the computer upgrades, all were driven by the fact that it was flawed, and needed fixing. If you're machine works flawlessly out of the box, don't you tend to ignore it, just assume it will always be flawless, until it breaks completely? Whereas the basket case, that one gets all of the attention.
There's no question that today's Hubble is WAY beyond the original specifications, and that it's longevity is WAY beyond what was expected. Even with the flaws, it's considered one of, if not the, most efficient pieces of scientific equipment ever, when you look at the ratio of cost vs return.

Mike, relax...I don't put text in green. I love astronomy long time.

Now, get back to your telescope and scan the cosmos for a sense of humor:D

It may have been mentioned and I missed it.

Y'all know who came up with the term conspiracy theory and why the term was coined I trust.