Comment by krapp
2 days ago
I think it's less a plot to privatize space telescopes and more a plot to shutter NASA and get the US government out of the space industry altogether and privatize everything.
Which means that either companies find commercial value in space telescopes or else we just don't have space telescopes.
But don't worry, we'll always have luxury trips into LEO for billionaires.
After decades of searching, the only good uses for space telescopes thus far found is keeping university researchers entertained and making cool posters for geeky kids to hang in their bedrooms. That second one is actually very important to be fair.
(Human space flight is also a waste of money, for reasons I explained in other posts. Other than entertaining children, it serves almost no constructive purpose whatsoever. And the space tourism niche is basically a joke.)
It's fine. Europe and Asia can handle the actual science.