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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    The Hubble and the Future of Space Exploration

    Astronaut-astronomer John Grunsfeld calls the Hubble Space Telescope "arguably the most important scientific instrument ever created," important enough for him and others to risk their lives walking in space for five days to make repairs . Now it's almost time to come home.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Astronaut-astronomer John Grunsfeld calls the Hubble Space Telescope "arguably the most important scientific instrument ever created," important enough for him and others to risk their lives walking in space for five days to make repairs. Now it's almost time to come home. We look at what they did and what the Hubble might find as it looks back farther than ever toward the origin of the universe and the beginning of time. We also consider what's next for the manned space program. Would a return to the Moon and a visit to Mars be cheaper and more effective with robots?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Hubble and the Future of Space Exploration
    1. 0:00Obama Announces First-Ever National Emissions Standards
    2. 7:22The Hubble and the Future of Space ExplorationYou’re reading this
    3. 44:09Expense Scandal Rocks British Parliament
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

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      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

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      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

      Sonya Geis

      Senior Managing Editor

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      David Leckrone

      Senior Project Scientist for Hubble, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jonathan McDowell

      Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

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      Jennifer Wiseman

      Chief of the ExoPlanets and Stellar Astrophysics Lab, Goddard Space Flight Center

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    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Hubble and the Future of Space Exploration
    1. 0:00Obama Announces First-Ever National Emissions Standards
    2. 7:22The Hubble and the Future of Space ExplorationYou’re reading this
    3. 44:09Expense Scandal Rocks British Parliament
    Back to To the Point