[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]WASHINGTON (AP) - NASA has received a gift from an unexpected source - the nation's satellite spy agency. The space agency confirmed Monday that it has received a pair of giant identical telescopes from the National Reconnaissance Office, which oversees the country's constellation of spy satellites. NASA says the spy agency built them and then decided it didn't need them. The transfer last summer was only recently declassified. Even with this windfall, NASA has no money to launch the telescopes anytime soon. The telescopes have mirrors similar in size to the famed Hubble Space Telescope, but they lack cameras and instruments essential for astronomy research. The telescopes are currently in upstate New York. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You gotta wonder what kind of detail and resolution you can get by turning a Hubble-sized telescope towards the earth. Apparently, if the NRO is giving these two away, they have something much better. [/FONT]
Reminds me of that part in the movie Independence Day... President Thomas Whitmore: I don't understand, where does all this come from? How do you get funding for something like this? Julius Levinson: You don't actually think they spend $20,000.00 on a hammer, $30,000.00 on a toilet seat do you?
Yeah, research (real fact) information on the CAFR (comprehensive annual financial report) for the government. You can also check the state CAFR and any corporation. The thing is, states and the Federal Government have a tricky routine and do not tell you about their investments and holdings. Every year there's a deficit -imagine that. CAFR Lies It's a huge shell game, and folks need to learn how it's being played. [SIZE=-1] The CAFR is prepared under the accounting and reporting standards outlined by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB). It is an audited report. The CAFR has four parts:[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1] [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]1. Governmental Funds 2. Propriety Funds 3. Fiduciary Funds 4. Component Units[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1] [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]The budget you hear about involves primarily the Governmental Funds. The other three major categories are not included in the budget and this is in most cases where most of the surpluses are located. [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]READ MORE: http://www.cafrman.com/ (highly recommended) [/SIZE]
I bet the x plane that spent 12 months in orbit had something to do with the lack of need of the telescopes.
NASA will likely have SpaceX and their booster loft these things into orbit. Question being the direction they will be pointing......