From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

The Hubble and the future of space exploration.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Astronaut astronomer John Grunsfeld calls the Hubble Space Telescope, arguably the most important scientific instrument ever

created. Important enough for him and others to risk their lives walking in space for five days

to make repairs. Now it's almost time to come home. We'll look at what they did and what the

Hubble might find as it looks back farther than ever toward the origin of the universe and

the beginning of time. And what's next for the manned space program? Would a return to the moon

and a visit to Mars be cheaper and more effective with robots? On reporter's notebook later on,

Britain's expense account scandal takes a high political toll.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon Alney, back with To The Point. The astronauts are ready to come back to Earth. include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon-Aulney, back with To the Point. The astronauts are ready to come back to Earth on Friday.

We'll hear about upgrading the Hubble Space Telescope, what age-old questions it's now prepared to address and whether manned spaceflight has a future. On reporter's notebook, the Speaker of Parliament in Britain forced out for the first time in 300 years.

First, this news update, President Obama today announced new standards to improve the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks and reduce greenhouse gases.

For the first time in history, we have set in motion a national policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new trucks and cars sold in the United States of America.

Jim Tankersley is Energy and Environment, Porter, for the Tribune Company, and good to have you on our program, Jim.

Hey, thanks for having me.

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