Expert: Steven LJ Russo - 9/8/2005

Question
Dear Steven Russo,
Could you please help me with this?
I have heard that Hubble works simultaneously with other scopes in various wavelengths. Do you know anything about this?
Moreover based on the information I have found on the web (I think) that the HST is the only space telescope at present which works in UV band. And I found an article (ASP Conference Series, Vol.291) written by a UV astronomer who was concerned about the future of ultraviolet astronomy and the fact that if Hubble stops working there would be no telescopes operating in this part of the spectrum. Is that true?
Finally, as you know the STIS instrument stopped working in the year 2004. Have NASA people been able to do anything to repair it yet?
Thank you,
Leila


Answer
Leila:

I have seen photos of objects such as the Crab Nebula, that were "composits" of images from Hubble and Chandra.  So the HST DOES work in conjunction with other scopes.
Go here for an example:

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2004/19/text/



Hubble is currently the only scope working in the UV band. AND it also observes in Infra Red and Visible light!

Since the last servicing mission was in March of 2002, if STIS stopped working in 2004, then I doubt if anything has been done to repair it.

Steve