As for the telescope, with atmospheric cancellation technology, the atmosphere is less of an issue than ever before for ground based telescopes, yet they are still planning even larger successors to Hubble -- don't get me wrong, because I'm all for space exploration and spaced based telescopes ( even small ones
), at least for me it's all about the learning experience and trying new things, and I'm always trying to learn new things about the stuff I have, especially if it allows me to use what I have more effectively, without having to go out and buy something new that costs half an arm.