NASA has issued a Request for Information to the commercial space sector, seeking assistance to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope or guide its deorbit, the agency announced.
The 33-year-old observatory, launched in 1990 into low-Earth orbit, is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere between 2033 and 2034 due to atmospheric drag, NASA said.
In a statement, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency must explore all possible ways to extend Hubble's life for the American taxpayer and the scientific community. The initiative comes as Hubble remains in high demand, with NASA reporting a 7:1 oversubscription of observing time, despite no replacement expected before the 2040s.
A soft-capture mechanism was installed on Hubble during the final servicing mission, STS-125, in 2009, facilitating future docking. An orbital boost would require raising the telescope by more than 370 miles (600 kilometers), a significant increase in elevation from a technical perspective, NASA said.
The Request for Information is not a request for proposals but seeks information and comment from the commercial space sector, which has rapidly evolved to offer in-space satellite capture and servicing capabilities, NASA said. Companies such as SpaceX and Rocket Lab, which have demonstrated orbital capture technology, are considered potential collaborators.
Without intervention, Hubble will make an uncontrolled reentry. NASA is evaluating options including a controlled deorbit and boosting the telescope to a higher orbit. The timescale is immutable: without intervention, Hubble will reenter in the coming years.
The effort reflects NASA's acknowledgment that no replacement for Hubble is expected before the 2040s, when the Habitable Worlds Observatory could become operational. https://www.nasa.gov
Category: Science
