New
Scientist: Last year NASA was
offered
two military spy telescopes by the National Reconnaissance
Office. Similar in size and capabilities to the
Hubble Space Telescope, the two satellites have been
in storage for the last 20 years. Now NASA is trying to
determine how to use them. At a two-day conference at the
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, agency
officials will be discussing 33 proposals, which include using
the telescopes to study dark energy, look for exoplanets, and
map space debris around Earth. George Fletcher, who is heading
the search for ideas, says the one thing the telescopes won't
be used for is to look at Earthâmdash;in order
to avoid accusations that NASA is engaging in espionage. The
conference members will select up to six of the proposals and
announce the agency's plans in May.
