Once I was in Fresno California, fairly close to the runway as F-16's would come and go. On takeoff, I'd put my fingers in my ears so far I was touching brain and still it was way LOUD. Awesome sight! Didn't think to bring a scanner with me...
Hubble is one of the wonders of the last 30 years, IMHO. Of course, I'm biased, my father helped fabricate the mirrors at Perkin-Elmer. He was so happy when it launched...then so depressed when it wasn't perfect. Yet...even with the spherical aberration, it still did great science that only got better with the "glasses" that corrected the spherical aberration.
I find it sad that NASA is but a shell of its former great self.
On the other hand, NASA has always been about developing technology...and not so good about operating / maintaining technology. (I worked Shuttle and Station for about 5 years out of college at Johnson...and had a front-row seat to some of NASA's warts in operations.)
I do hope that some of the smaller, newer, more agile corporations like SpaceX can take over and further develop America's space technology.
