Since the JWST design started, there's been a revolution in the "easiness" of launches.
I wonder if a future evolution of space telescopes will be some kind of interferometric (obviously extremely hard for IR or visible light, but easier for radio and microwaves) swarm of cheap semi-disposible telescopes than one enormous one.
Then you can add to the swarm, upgrade elements, and retire failed elements without having to eat a multi-billion helping of humble pie.
And rather than have a fearsomely complex integrated sunshield, you could have a similar swarm of simpler satellites that provide a large cool area at L2, and then the observers just need to handle their own heat.
I suppose this could be described as microservices...in spaaaaace. Draw what parallels you will from that!
I wonder if a future evolution of space telescopes will be some kind of interferometric (obviously extremely hard for IR or visible light, but easier for radio and microwaves) swarm of cheap semi-disposible telescopes than one enormous one.
Then you can add to the swarm, upgrade elements, and retire failed elements without having to eat a multi-billion helping of humble pie.
And rather than have a fearsomely complex integrated sunshield, you could have a similar swarm of simpler satellites that provide a large cool area at L2, and then the observers just need to handle their own heat.
I suppose this could be described as microservices...in spaaaaace. Draw what parallels you will from that!