Catch22,

Indeed it was – and is.

This decision guarantees that the Hubble will go off-line before NASA’s scheduled replacement telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, in 2011, but it is unclear whether that project will be affected.

Anyone, not just professional astronomers, can download over the internet all Hubble's images just one year after they are taken. In their first year, Hubble's observations belong to the astronomer who carries them out. After that they belong to everyone.

__________________
Eudaimonia