Well let’s start with the flaw: it actually WAS detected but they decided the problem was in the tool that checked the mirror. There were a whole BUNCH of problems with the mirror company.
As for the fix it was by no means easy. They basically had to design mirrors with the reverse of the error to correct the flawed images.
As for the PR really the whole mirror problem was a major black eye for NASA and the fix didn’t really reverse it.
On the current problems, things happen. And it will be fixed. And we DO have to have manned flight. Not necessarily to replace the Hubble’s computer, but because the future is up there and it’s frankly embarrassing and pathetic that we don’t have manned flight capability basically because bureaucracy and nobody in 40+ freaking years can be bothered to green light the shuttle replacement.
I recall Rush called it the ‘Hubble Space Doorknob’