The Future of the Hubble Space Telescope

Steven BeckwithApril 25, 2005

Space Telescope Science Institute

April 25, 2005 2

Hubble’s Future Science PotentialHubble’s high impact results from unique capabilities that

address the most compelling science questions of our time. If Hubble is serviced, it will gain new capabilities to keep its rate

of science as high as in the past decade.

Four illustrative topics for HST unique science:• Extra-solar planetary systems (STIS, NICMOS, COS)

– Discovery of new planets

– Study of atmospheres: constituents of life

• Cosmological acceleration of the universe (WFC3)– Distant supernovae and dark energy

• The edge of the visible universe (WFC3)– The first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang

• Mass of the universe (COS)– Mapping ordinary and dark matter

April 25, 2005 3

Planetary transit contrast

1%

1%

These eclipse observations are plotted to the same scale. Hubble spectroscopy requires a contrast S/N~104.

HubbleSpitzer

April 25, 2005 4

Detecting Planets in the Galactic Bulge

This is one-half an ACS field

Sahu, Gilliland et al.

April 25, 2005 5

Supernova 1997cj

Ground Hubble

HST and Distant Supernovae

Hubble is uniquely capable of discovering supernovae at redshifts greater than 1 and measuring their brightness

High Redshift SN and Cosmological Parameters F

aint

er

Brighter

1.0

0.5

0.0

-0.5

-1.0

Fai

ntne

ss r

elat

ive

to H

ubbl

e flo

w (m

)

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Redshift z

Empty universe

Matter only (M=1)

Concordance theory=0.73 M=0.27

Gray dust absorption

Hubble only (infrared)

NewHubble

observations

UDF, size of distant galaxies

1”

Distant galaxies are smaller than 1 second of arc

April 25, 2005 8

Observation speed to reach S/N=10 at spectral resolution =20,000 at 1600 Å

Rel

a ti v

e sp

eed

of o

bser

vati o

n

104

103

102

10

0 20 40 60 80 100

Texp (orbits)

STIS

COS

Dis

cove

ry p

oten

tial

OB stars in the Magellanic Clouds

Brightest QSO (3C 273)

QSO (z ~ 0.5)

Starburst galaxies

QSO (Reionization)

Incr

eas i

n g #

of

ob j

e cts

Sensitivity at 100 relative toF = 10-14 erg cm-2 s-1 Å-1

Unexplored discovery space

COS Discovery Potential

April 25, 2005 9

Griffin on Hubble

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are needed to see this picture.

April 25, 2005 10

Griffin on Hubble Servicing

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April 25, 2005 11

Griffin on HST at Press Conference

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April 25, 2005 12

Senator Inouye on Hubble

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are needed to see this picture.