patrick.net

Vicente says

The Hubble was merely the cheap civilian byproduct of the KH-11 which came in an identical form factor. This was made manifest when the NRO donated a bunch of spare parts for Hubble recently, leftovers from their spy satellites they wanted to clear out of the closet. If STS hadn't had to live up to a whole bunch of requirements to be a do-everything HUMV with civilians along for the ride, it would have been a very different design I think.

Interesting stuff about Hubble. Amazing that we can put dozens of spy satellites into space, but every penny spent on science is begrudgingly doled out only after years of intense lobbying and begging.

Bellingham Bill says

he inherited Apollo just like he inherited Vietnam, LOL.

Both got wound up on his watch, on very parallel schedules.

If I remember my history correctly, Nixon was a hawk regarding Vietnam all during the 1960s before he became president.