Sean O'Keefe puts the Hubble decision in context. It's nice to see him following one of Powell's Rules: "Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it."

In making my decision I had to balance the world-class science that the Hubble has produced, and will continue to produce, against the risks to the shuttle and its crew.

The safety considerations tipped the scales. I welcome the decision of the National Academy of Sciences, announced last week, to review my conclusion.

If you've not seen the plans for the James Webb Space Telescope, take a Google and see what NASA has in store for the next decade. You ain't seen nothin' yet.

Advancing Both Science and Safety